Sunshine in the Thunder
by TrulyScrumptious103
Summary: Country boy Luke has just been existing until a woman comes into his life bringing a breath of fresh air. Will their relationship be able to weather the storm so she can become his sunshine in the thunder?
1. Prologue

The heat was almost suffocating as he lifted the hem of his t-shirt to wipe the sweat from his face. He leaned against the heavy wooden doors and noticed menacing looking clouds in the distance. It was still sunny on his farm, but he knew the storm would soon be here and he still had a couple dozen hay bales to move into the barn.

Storm or not, he didn't want to stop working. The ache in his muscles helped him forget the ache in his heart. He had always felt most useful working with his hands so when his father passed away and left him the farm, it was a no brainer as to whether he would sell it or keep it for himself. He'd always envisioned bringing a wife home, and eventually a baby. They would sit on the porch drinking sweet tea and watching their kids chase lighting bugs.

That wife never had a face until he met her, but he knew he needed to push those thoughts from his mind. He wasn't good for her, something that had been pointed out to him time and time again. It had just taken him a little bit of time to fully understand. So now, he was here, breaking his back to try to forget. To forget her beautiful blue eyes, her long mahogany hair, the way her soft hand felt when intertwined with his…

The sun was eclipsed by dark clouds and the he felt the deep rumble of thunder in his chest as he hooked another hay bale and swung it onto the pile. It looked like the storm would reach his barn in another ten minutes and he was going to be cutting it close. A lightning flash drew his attention towards the horizon, just in time to see the Jeep Wrangler make its way down the gravel drive, leaving a trail of dust in its wake.

What the hell was she doing here? He walked around to the front of his old Chevy truck as she reached the edge of his field. She got out of the Jeep, eyes blazing with lightning that matched that of the storm brewing.

"Why would you do this? I trusted you!" she yelled, vitriol spewing from every pore in her body.

With a crack of thunder, the skies opened up and it began to pour.

* * *

A/N: Hi everyone! I've been working on this story for awhile now. Although I love Rory and Logan, Luke and Lorelai were just bugging me to tell their story. This is completely AU, set in the present and in case I forget to mention it later, all characters belong to Amy S-P, unless I make them up. I have been working with a beta/pre-reader, but I've lost my emails so please get in touch with me! If you want to take a stab at being brutally honest and cleaning up my writing, please let me know. I take full responsibility for all mistakes from here on out.

Thanks again for reading! Damn, it feels good to be back!


	2. Chapter 1

FOUR MONTHS EARLIER...

He tried to ignore the way the screen from his cell phone lit up the dark room each time Trevor called him. The phone was something he had gotten in a moment of weakness, and now he was silently cursing the way it drew his attention away from the figures on the television. Luke waged an internal war, knowing that the phone would continue to buzz until he answered it.

Groaning, he pressed the green answer button on the screen. "What?"

"Hi to you too, asshole," Luke's best friend Trevor mocked him through the phone.

"Man, it's been a long day," Luke said, attempting to direct the conversation away from him going out.

Trevor chuckled. "Even more reason for you to get out of that house."

Luke hoped that his silence would be enough of an answer to Trevor's unspoken question.

"Come on, Luke," Trevor pleaded. "You've bailed on us the last three times. I know you have this hermit thing going on, but Emma's bringing some friends from school and crazy Carrie is on vacation with her parents. It should be a good time. Just come out for a couple of hours, and then, I swear I'll let you go home and be an old man without giving you shit for it."

"Maybe," Luke answered non-committedly.

Trevor chuckled knowing Luke would eventually make it out. "We're in the field near Wilson's Branch. Bring beer!"

Luke sat up and rested his head in his hands. Guess he was going to a party.

* * *

Springtime in Nashville was something they looked forward to all year long. The sun warded off the chill during the day, but the temperatures dropped enough at night to make it downright cool. These evenings were the best time for their group to sit around a bonfire with a cooler of beer, reliving memories. He found himself actually looking forward to the ritual as he pulled onto the old dirt road.

There were already twenty or so people hanging around the fire when Luke parked his truck behind the group of cars already assembled there. Grabbing the six-pack of Budweiser sitting on his passenger seat, he made his way towards the crowd. He offered a pinched smiled at the familiar faces. It wasn't that he didn't like hanging out with this group, it's just that they were in very different places in their lives. While most of his friends were studying drinking at Vanderbilt or TSU, he was busting his ass, trying to keep afloat the farm that was the only legacy from his parents. He went to bed early and woke up with the sun, but it had been way too long since he'd seen his friends, so here he was.

He shook hands with a couple of people as he made his way to the fire where Trevor was standing with his arm around a blonde.

"Luke! You came!" he exclaimed. Not one who liked drawing attention to himself, Luke hated seeing the heads turn towards him. His instinct was to pull his baseball cap over his eyes and beeline to the cooler but instead, he smiled at the people who were greeting him and relished in the feeling of being missed.

After being stopped a half dozen times, he finally made it to the cooler where he dropped the warm cans in the ice and grabbed a cold one from the bottom. Luke popped the top and as the bitter liquid slid down his throat, he looked around at the people assembled. It was the same old crew. There were a few new faces, but mostly, it was the same people he had been hanging out with since middle school. Luke silently said offered thanks for the routine. He wasn't great with change and it was just lucky that some things seemed to always stay the same.

From somewhere behind him came a high pitched squeal and he knew just what it meant; Emma had found him. She threw her arms around his neck and squeezed.

Emma had always been a good friend, but he had never considered more than that and he was sure she hadn't either. They had gone to high school together; he had even taken her to homecoming. Soon after the dance she started dating Joey, the quarterback of the football team and Luke had been happy to take the back seat of their friendship. She wasn't really his type, anyway. She was far too…squealy.

Luke noticed the three other women saunter up behind Emma. These must be her college friends. Emma introduced him as "the one that got away" which made him blush. He rolled his eyes at her and shook his head.

Turning back towards the friends, he noticed that none of them were dressed for a bonfire in a field. In a sea of denim, boots and ball caps, their high heels, silky sleeveless shirts and short shorts were very out of place. Emma seemed to be the only one with any sense, wearing a pair of cutoff jeans, boots and a jacket. The others looked very uncomfortable.

Emma introduced each of her friends in turn. Makenna was from Memphis. Her father was the Fire Chief, and her mother was an optometrist. He was immediately drawn to her fiery red hair and open smile. Her sharp tongue made the group laugh which made her that much more attractive to him. Kate, the blonde, was from East Texas and had no intention of ever returning. It wasn't until his gaze shifted to the third woman that he felt his world shift on its axis and all thoughts of any other woman flew from his mind.

Lorelai had come all the way from Savannah. She and Emma had met in a political science class and became fast friends. Where Makenna demanded attention, Lorelai seemed happy to let the other women shine. Her long mahogany hair was a stark contrast to Makenna's red locks, and Luke immediately found himself drawn to the chocolate color. However, it was her eyes that sucked him in. He caught her gaze and found himself drowning in the ocean blue depths; he was drowning but really didn't want to be saved. Luke was suddenly very happy that Trevor had pulled him out of his self-exile to come to this party.

Soon, their conversation centered in on Vanderbilt. Luke listened to their stories about classes, roommates, fraternities, the hours of the library, having nothing to add to the conversation. He never regretted skipping college. His friends were lucky enough to have parents that were still alive to support them. His father lived just long enough to see him get his high school diploma before the cancer finally took him, so while Emma, Trevor and the rest of the crew went on to the world of higher education, Luke took over the family farm. He was lucky that it was fairly sustainable, but he worked hard to keep it that way.

After checking to see that each of the ladies had a drink, Luke excused himself from the group to get a new beer from the cooler. He noticed the chill in the air on his return back to the fire and thought about how cold Lorelai must be in her yellow tank top. Slowly, he made his way back over to the group with the intention of offering her his jacket. As he walked, he watched the brunette as she interacted with her friends. Luke realized that he wanted to protect her, to take care of her, and it scared him. He had tried to take care of Liz after their parents died and a lot of good that did her. She was pregnant and on the first bus out of here before he knew it. Since she had left, he had been by himself for so long, he didn't know if he had what it took to make room for someone else in his life. Maybe it was the beer, or the incredible pull he felt towards her, but he knew he would end up regretting it if he didn't at least try.

Lorelai was sitting on a log that had been set up near the fire. Emma and Kate were sitting on the log next to hers listening to her animatedly tell a story. As he got closer, he noticed the goosebumps on her bare shoulders. Yeah, that needed to be fixed sooner rather than later.

He waited for a break in the story before asking her "Do you mind if I sit here?"

She turned to look up at him and smiled a brilliant smile. "Of course not," she said. "I was actually hoping you were going to come back."

Luke stepped over the log and sat down. "Why is that?" he asked.

"Emma goes on and on about you," she said. "It's nice to finally have a face to the name."

She shivered and he immediately removed his jacket and placed it around her shoulders. She smiled at him and snuggled into the soft fabric.

"Thank you," she said softly. "Emma didn't give us the warning that we would be spending the evening in a field. Or even outside."

"You have jackets for all of us?" Emma asked with a coy smile, obviously teasing.

"I only carry them for victims of your insanity," Luke replied. "It's not their fault that they get sucked into your warped universe."

Emma pretended that she was offended. "I won't take this abuse," she said, standing up. "Come on, Kate. It's time we go find jackets of our own."

While they were walking away, Emma turned and winked at him. He was grateful that she was giving him time to get to know her friend.

"So, I'm guessing you don't go to Vandy," Lorelai said, trying to make conversation.

"Didn't Emma tell you?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Emma talks about Luke this and Luke that, how you're such a great guy, but she's never gone into specifics about your life. All we know is that there is a god among men walking around. It's great to finally know who she's talking about."

Luke blushed and started feeling self-conscious. "I'm not that great," he replied taking a sip of beer. "Emma exaggerates."

She smiled at him. "That's true but I haven't seen any evidence to the contrary yet."

"I don't go to Vandy," he replied, attempting to change the subject. "Is it that obvious?"

"No, but it seems like everyone has an opinion on the new hours of the library. That's what gave you away."

Luke shrugged.

"So, what do you do, Luke Danes?"

"I have a farm about 10 miles away," he answered. "My dad left it to me when he died."

"I'm sorry," she said with sincerity. "She placed her tiny hand on his knee. He felt the tingle from where she touched him, and placed his hand over hers to keep her from moving it.

"What are you studying?" Luke asked.

"Business Administration," she answered.

He nodded and took a swig of his beer. "Prestigious," he said.

She blushed and tucked her hair behind her ears with her free hand. "I didn't really have a choice. It was what Emily and Richard decided would be best for my future."

"Emily and Richard are…."

"My parents. Emily and Richard Gilmore," she answered.

Luke had been lucky. His parents had never pushed him one way or another, but he knew that some of his friends weren't so lucky. Emma was studying Biomedical Engineering at her parents' insistence. Luke knew she would much rather be studying art history, but like Lorelai, she hadn't been given a choice.

He took another pull of his beer and realized it was empty. "I'm going to go grab another beer. Would you like one?" he asked her.

"Actually, would you mind if I come with you?" she asked.

He hadn't wanted to leave her, so Luke was happy she had asked. He stood up and offered her his hand to help her up. He fought the urge to touch her again as they were walking, wanting to feel that tingle but not scare her away. When they got to the cooler, she declined a beer but accepted when he offered a bottle of water. As they made their way back towards the fire, Luke noticed that Lorelai had gathered the attention of an unwelcome visitor. As the snaky man made his way towards them, Luke placed his hand on Lorelai's back in an attempt to make it clear that she was not up for grabs. Unfortunately, Todd didn't get the message.

Todd had always been a thorn in Luke's side. It wasn't just that they fundamentally disagreed on everything, but they had been in constant competition since elementary school. Everything from girls, grades, to being captain of the varsity baseball team. After making a half assed greeting to Luke, Todd focused his attention to the beautiful brunette.

"So, Lori, that's your name, right?" Todd said.

"Lorelai, actually," she corrected taking a small step towards Luke. He studied her face. Her look of annoyance at Todd made Luke bolder. He would wait to see how this played out. If she made any indication she wasn't interested, he would make sure he staked his claim.

"Yeah, yeah, that's what I said," Todd continued. "Anyway, Emma said you're going to be in town for the summer. What would you think 'bout letting me show you around?"

Lorelai backed into Luke so her entire body was touching his. That was enough to make him play along. His hand found its way to her waist and he found himself grateful when she grabbed his hand and squeezed. "Actually, Luke already offered, so I think I'll have to take a rain check," she answered.

Todd handed Lorelai a piece of paper with his phone number. "Let me know if you change your mind and want a real guy to show you around."

Luke couldn't believe Todd's nerve. "The woman said no," Luke said. "She's not interested and it would serve you well to remember your manners. And her name isn't Lori, dipshit." She turned her head to smile at him and leaned her head on his shoulder. He could smell the fresh scent of her shampoo which left him distracted for a moment. Todd walked away, grumbling under his breath and Luke dropped his arm.

They walked back over to the fire and sat next to her after she was seated.

"Sorry I used you like that," she said, somewhat bashfully.

Luke shrugged feeling disappointed. Touching her came so naturally to him; he wanted her to feel the same way.

"Do you want someone to show you around this summer?" he asked.

"I've lived in Nashville for the past 4 years. I pretty much know my way around."

"Right," Luke said dismissively.

"But maybe it would be nice to have a local's perspective."

* * *

The night wore on and the more Lorelai talked, the more he liked her. As they spoke, their bodies moved closer together until their knees were touching and their heads were bowed together. They were happily in their own bubble, laughing as Trevor pulled out his guitar and their drunk friends tried to sing Creedence Clearwater Revival songs. As his shyness wore off, they realized that they shared the same sarcastic sense of humor and easily played off of each other.

Luke tried his hardest not to notice the way his jacket dwarfed her small frame or the creamy skin of her thigh that disappeared beneath her white shorts. He tried, but hey he was a guy. It was his mother's voice in his head that prevented him from reaching out and stroking her thigh. He knew it wouldn't be polite, so he refrained. It was the hardest thing he had ever done.

When the fire was burning down, Lorelai grabbed Luke's wrist to look at his watch.

"Shit, it's so late, I have to get home," she exclaimed, jumping to her feet. Luke looked at his watch and noticed it was only midnight. He thought it was odd that a college student thought that was late. For him, it was extremely late, but from what he knew of his friends, midnight was nothing.

"Emma, I have to get home," Lorelai called, breaking up Emma's cuddle session with Todd. Their group, including Makenna and Kate, got up without question and said their goodbyes. Lorelai was half way to Emma's car by the time Luke caught up with her. He grabbed her hand and she turned around looking slightly panicked.

"Lorelai, can I see you again? Take you on a real date?" he asked.

She looked back at the car and then turned around to look in his eyes. "I'd like that, but I really have to go right now. Emma has my phone number. I have to go."

Breaking free of his hand, she turned and ran towards the car. The taillights were barely visible by the time he realized she still had his jacket.

He made his way to his truck without saying goodbye to anyone, uneasy with the feeling that this girl had already flipped his world on its head.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! I know this is an alternate universe, but I hope you can stick with me! I think the characters are pretty true to how they are in the show, but I'd love to hear your opinion!


	3. Chapter 2

The phone felt heavy in his hands. Her number was already dialed, but he was nervous about hitting the call button.

"Ugh, this is stupid, just call her," he said out loud. Before he could change his mind, his thumb hit the small green button on the bottom of the screen. Lorelai picked up after the third ring.

"Hello?"

She was slightly breathless. Luke tried to ignore how his body reacted to her deep breaths.

"Hello?" she said again.

Oh right. He should say something.

"Um, hi. Lorelai. This is Luke, you know, from the fire?"

She waited a second before responding, but when she did, he could hear the smile in her voice.

"Hi there. I was wondering if you were going to call," she said.

"Yeah, see, I got your number from Emma, and I wanted to call and see if maybe you'd like to hang out sometime."

Why was he so nervous? He had talked to women before. He had even successfully asked a few out. Why was this so different?

"I'd really like that, Luke," she answered. She was still smiling.

Luke let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. He smiled, hoping his voice would let her know how pleased he was. "So, how is Friday night for you?"

"Friday actually isn't good, but does Saturday work?" she counteroffered.

"Saturday sounds perfect," he said. "I'll pick you up at six thirty?"

"Actually, how about I meet you somewhere?" He had never actually been on a date where he didn't pick the woman up, but then, Lorelai wasn't like anyone else he had ever dated. He tried to ignore his mother's voice in his head scolding him for not being a gentleman.

They finalized plans and Luke hung up the phone with a smile on his face looking forward to spending more time with the girl who was making his belly flutter.

* * *

He showed up at Cabana at twenty minutes after six. After putting his name on the wait list, he walked outside to meet Lorelai.

She drove up ten minutes late. He walked up to her car and offered her his hand.

"I'm so sorry I'm late. There were some things going on at home, and….well, I'm just glad I'm here," she rambled.

Luke took in her attire; a dress that brought out the blue in her eyes, heels that made her legs go on for days. Luke kissed her on the cheek.

"You look beautiful," he said.

She blushed which made him do a victory dance internally.

A half a bottle of wine later, they were sharing an order of crab hushpuppies as an appetizer and Luke found himself opening up to her. There was something about the way she leaned into him when he spoke and the way her clear eyes focused on him that made him open the doors that he'd kept locked for several years.

He told her of his family; his mother who died when he was twelve, his sister who got pregnant her senior year of high school and left town with his nephew shortly after he was born.

"Last I heard, she was in Vegas, or Seattle. I can't keep up," Luke laughed.

Lorelai looked down at her plate. "Did you ever want to do that? Just pack up and leave?" she asked.

Had he? Sure. The first year after his dad died, every morning he had to rise at five to work his hands until they were raw and bleeding just to turn a profit, he fantasized of cutting his losses and joining the rodeo circuit. But he knew he would never do it. He was too set in his ways.

"My roots run too deeply here," he explained simply. "This is where my father's life work is. And before I knew it, it became my life."

"What do you like about it?" Lorelai asked. Her question wasn't judgmental, merely inquisitive.

"I love seeing something that I planned come to fruition. Seeing the decisions I've made become sustainable for the season, or the farm in general. When my father died, the farm was on the verge of bankruptcy. The first thing I did was sell off a few acres to pay off the debts. Then I took the front few acres and planted apple trees and berry plants so people could pay to come pick their own fruit. That mostly sustains the farm year round. From there, I can grow what the community needs, rather than having to give in to one of the chemical or biotech companies like Monsanto."

"I took Rory to one of those pick your own apples places in the fall. She loved it." Instantly, Lorelai cupped her hand over her mouth, like she had just let a curse word slip in church.

"Who is Rory? Your roommate?" Luke asked. Lorelai took a bite of her meal and chewed slowly, as if thinking of how to respond.

Without looking at him, she answered. "She's my daughter. Rory is my daughter," she said. It took him a minute to process what she said.

"You have a daughter?" he asked.

"Yes. Rory is five."

"Five. So you had her when you were…"

"Sixteen."

"Sixteen." Luke repeated.

"Look, I get it. Most guys don't want to date someone who is responsible for another human being. We can wrap up our meals and I'll just head home," she said, already looking around for the waiter.

"No, Lorelai, wait," he said, grabbing her hand. "I just need to wrap my head around it. Will you tell me about her?

Lorelai's eyes softened and her face lit up. "She's the best thing in my life. My whole world revolves around her."

Luke couldn't help but smile at the way Lorelai spoke so passionately about her daughter.

"She's five going on thirty-five. She reads books like Swiss Family Robinson and Gulliver's Travels. We read every night before bed. I've recently started letting her read to me, and she not only knows the words but she understands the plots to these books that are so far advanced for her. I didn't read them until I was twice her age. And she's so sweet. She loves chasing lightning bugs but won't let me put them into a jar because then they'll get separated from their families."

Luke imagined a small girl with Lorelai's blue eyes and mahogany hair running around the field in front of his house. He smiled at the thought.

"Luke," Lorelai interrupted his reverie. "I have a five year old. She and I are a package deal. I make all of my decisions based on her, on her happiness, and what's best for her. I know this is just a first date and I'm having a wonderful time, but if any part of you has a problem with this, there really shouldn't be a second."

Luke started rubbing the knuckles on the back of her hand. He looked up at her and saw the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes. He kissed her hand before speaking. "I'd love to meet her someday."

She smiled and shook her head, seemingly dissipating the tense cloud that had settled around them like a blanket. Lorelai picked up her fork, taking another bite of her ravioli. He noticed how her free hand brushed away some not-yet-fallen tears.

"Will you tell me the story?" he asked, hopeful that she would open up to him the way he had with her.

"Someday," Lorelai said. "It's too long to go into today, but it all worked out in the end. I got Rory and college, and now it's up to me to make sure she is happy and secure."

Luke sat back and took a sip of iced tea. His head was spinning. At the bon fire, he had been attracted to her fearlessness. He had liked that she was the one that sought him out and the way she spoke with such conviction. He had no way of knowing idea how deeply those waters ran.

The conversation for the rest of the night bordered on superficial. They talked about Rory and Lorelai painted a vivid portrait of the little girl. If he ever got the chance to meet her, he figured he would be meeting the princess of Monaco from the way Lorelai described her. He didn't have much experience with kids and the kids he met seemed to annoy him to no end. However, Rory seemed like she might be tolerable. Maybe it was just because he liked her mother so much.

Their next stop was a surprise for Lorelai. He was taking her to the Belcourt where _Dawn of the Dead_ was playing at the outdoor theater. He pulled two chairs, a cooler and a blanket from his truck as she gave him an odd look.

"What are we doing?" she asked.

"You'll see," he said, giving her the blanket to carry. He started walking in the direction of the theater but it took a second for her to start moving.

"Second Saturday!" she exclaimed catching up to him. "Are we going to the Belcourt?"

"You'll see," he shrugged non-committedly.

"What's playing?" she asked. Luke refused to answer. He wanted it to be a surprise.

When the got to the old parking lot, they found an empty spot on the pavement and set up the chairs. Luke had packed every kind of movie food imaginable, not knowing what she would like. She looked through the box, choosing Raisinets to start.

"I'm very impressed," Lorelai told him. "You got all of the staples. The only thing you're missing are the Red Vines."

Luke dug in the cooler and pulled out a packet of Twizzlers, handing them to her. Lorelai laughed.

"Oh Luke, Twizzlers are not the same as Red Vines," she said.

"They're both red licorice," he pointed out.

"Yes, but Twizzlers taste like red licorice, Red Vines taste like chemicals. They're way more disgusting."

He gave her a puzzled look.

"Trust me on this one," she said. "I am a movie junk food expert. Rory and I often have movie marathons and see who falls into a sugar coma first. I can usually hold out longer because, well, I'm an adult."

Luke was shocked. "So wait. You feed your five year old daughter sugar to see how long it takes for her to, what? Pass out? Get hyper?"

"Rory usually gets really hyper," Lorelai said, biting into one of the Twizzlers. "And yes."

Luke shook his head. "I have a feeling I'm never going to get bored with you," he said.

It turns out that Lorelai considered the film for the evening, an "ultimate super classic movie." She spoke the lines under her breath. He could barely hear her and every time he looked at her, she smiled sweetly.

"Have you seen this movie a few times?" he whispered in her ear.

"Just a couple," she confirmed. "So what would you do in a zombie apocalypse?"

Luke shrugged. "I don't know. Run? They don't seem to move too fast. Guess I haven't thought about it though."

Lorelai looked horrified, and it wasn't because of the evil dead walkers on the screen. Surprisingly, she got a smile on her face when a zombie moved in front of the camera. "Haven't thought about it? How could you not have a plan? You need to be prepared for everything!"

"What would you do, Ms. Boy Scout?" Luke teased.

"Ikea."

"What?"

"You go to Ikea. It's like a fortress already. They have enough Swedish meatballs and cinnamon buns to keep you fed for years. There are beds on which to sleep and couches on which to relax. They have a super fun ball pit for when you get bored. And when the zombies descend, you climb the shelves in the self-serve section and wait them out. Don't know if you know this, but zombies can't climb. They'll lose an arm or something."

Luke was speechless. He popped a Sour Patch Kid into his mouth and tried to think of how to respond to that.

"I guess you've thought about this," was all he could come up with.

"It's the kid, Luke. Once you have a kid, you have to think about this stuff." Lorelai chewed on a Twizzler. "Only issue is that the closest Ikea is in Atlanta, so, we need a plan B."

"Have you thought of plan B yet?" he asked.

She wasn't able to answer because the person behind them shushed them loudly. Lorelai giggled and turned her attention back to the screen. With one last look, Luke did the same.

After the movie, Luke walked Lorelai to her car that was still in the lot at Cabana. They were holding hands as they crossed the pavement.

"Thank you for a great night," she said.

Luke smiled. "Thanks for a great first date. Can I take you out again?"

Lorelai blushed and looked down. "I'd really like that," she answered. "Finals start this week, but I might be able to get away from studying for a little bit."

He wanted to kiss her but it didn't feel right. Instead, he settled for a peck on her cheek and squeeze of her hand.

"I'll call you this week," he said holding her door open.

"Watch out for the walking dead," she said with a smile.

Luke laughed and closed her door. This time, the butterflies in his stomach didn't disappear until her taillights turned out of the parking lot.

* * *

A/N: Thanks so much for reading! All characters belong to ASP, no copyright infringement intended.


	4. Chapter 3

Lorelai did call him, but they were unable to find a time to get together. Luke was helping to open the fruit stand on his farm which was keeping him busy, and Lorelai, along with Rory, was busy with end of the year activities.

So when Trevor called and told him that their friends were meeting at a bar downtown for the night, he happy agreed to tag along hoping he would get the opportunity to see her.

He was standing at the bar when she walked in. He had never understood what people meant when they said that someone lit up a room until she walked in. Suddenly, all was right with the world. She didn't notice him right away so he took the opportunity to take her in. She was wearing a sundress that fell just above her knees and on her feet were a pair of shiny new boots. Her hair fell in loose curls around her face and his fingers itched to run through it, knowing how soft it would be. She looked stunning. It almost took his breath away. She laughed at something one of their friends said and he got butterflies.

After he got his beer, he headed her way. She smiled a huge smile when she saw him and threw her arms around his neck.

"I was hoping you would be here!" she said.

He wrapped his free arm around her waist and pulled her close. "Lorelai, you have no idea how happy I am to see you," he said. "Promise me you'll save me at least one dance?"

She grabbed the hat from his head and slipped it on her own. "You can have all of them, cowboy," she said over her shoulder as she led them to the dancefloor.

The band played mostly upbeat songs, and Luke had a great time showing Lorelai how to two-step. On their fourth dance, the beat changed to something slower. Luke wrapped his arms around her waist and she curled up next to him, resting her cheek on his chest.

"I'm so glad I met you," Lorelai said. "I know it hasn't been long but I think you're great."

Luke kissed the top of her head. "I feel the same way," he told her. "I think about you all the time, wonder what you're doing, wonder if you're smiling."

"I feel like I've known you years, rather than weeks," Lorelai said looking up at him. Luke pulled her closer and brushed his knuckles along her cheek. He noticed the freckles across her nose; he wanted to kiss each one of them.

His heart was racing. He was sure she would be able to hear it. He noticed as her breath caught in her throat.

"Luke, please kiss me," she said.

Luke leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, hesitant at first. Her lips tasted like chocolate and coffee, the coffee slightly outweighing the chocolate. He didn't like coffee, but on her, he just might get used to the taste.

He lost all concept of time, and his mind went blank as he deepened the kiss. His tongue sought entrance against her lips and brought his hands up to cradle her face. All he could focus on was this woman, a perfect woman, who was in his arms. He didn't ever want to let her go.

In the back of his mind, he knew it wasn't proper to be kissing a girl in the middle of a crowded dance floor, but she felt so good. He told his brain to shut up and went back to just feeling.

When the song stopped and the audience started to cheer, they broke apart. "Yeah Luke!" he heard and when he turned his attention toward their friends, he saw Emma and Trevor and everyone else looking right at them and cheering as loudly as they could. It was clear they were cheering for the kiss, not the band.

"We have an audience," Luke said.

Lorelai blushed and buried her head in Luke's chest. He held her, wanting to take away her embarrassment.

"Do you want to go somewhere else?" he asked.

"I promised Emma I'd be the DD. I'd love to stay here and dance with you some more though," she said, looking hopeful.

Luke smiled and kissed her sweetly on the lips. "Anything you want," he promised.

They decided to take a break and grab a couple of drinks. Lorelai found a seat at the bar, and after Luke had gotten their beverages, water for her and another beer for himself, he went to stand next to her.

"Sorry," she said. "My feet are starting to hurt. New boots."

"Ahh," Luke said, taking a pull from his beer. "Rookie mistake. You'll have blisters tomorrow."

"Can't be worse than the blisters I got from the four inch heels I was wearing when I learned the fan dance for my first cotillion," she said with a smile.

He laughed and set his beer on the bar.

"Lorelai, can I kiss you again?" he asked.

When he pulled away, her eyes were closed. "Damn you do that well," she said.

"Right back at ya" he told her.

* * *

They danced for the rest of the night, kissing, and enjoying the closeness. Luke was even able to get Emma to stop making fun of them by threatening to tell everyone what happened between Ronnie Ford and herself in sixth grade.

Luke walked Lorelai to her car with Emma in tow. Emma was so drunk, she couldn't stand on her own and was using Trevor as a walking stick. They got Emma settled in the passenger seat of Lorelai's jeep, where she promptly fell asleep, or passed out. Who knew?

Trevor took one look at Luke and Lorelai's intertwined hands and shook his head. "I'm taking your drunk ass home," he said to Luke. "I'll give you ten minutes before I come lookin."

Luke swung Lorelai by the hand so that she was leaning up against the door. Now that there was no audience watching their every move, Luke let all of the passion he had been feeling for her loose. He pressed her against the car with his body. She moaned when she felt all of him press against her. Running his hands over her curves, he moved his lips down her neck and nibbled on her pulse point. "Fuck you are good at this," she said breathlessly.

He answered her with a nip at her collarbone which caused her to moan louder. He made his way back up to her mouth and sucked her bottom lip in between his teeth.

Reluctantly, she pulled his head away from her face. "Luke, unless you're going to take me up against my car in this very public parking lot, we need to stop."

Luke took a step back and rubbed his hands over his face, willing his heart to slow down. "You're right, I'm sorry," he said.

She chuckled. "Don't be sorry, I just didn't want it to get too out of control."

Taking her hand, Luke brought her fingertips to his mouth. "My momma would have my ass if she knew what I just did to you. Treating a lady like that."

Lorelai laughed loudly this time. "Well, good thing I'm not a lady, huh?"

It was Luke's turn to laugh. He kissed her lips again, sweetly this time. When Trevor's horn sounded behind them, he knew it was time to go.

"I'll call you," he told her.

"You'd better," she said with a smile.

* * *

Over the next few days, they texted each other constantly. She kept him on his toes with her pop culture references and made him laugh with stories about Rory. After a few days, he could tell she was stressed. Her texts weren't as frequent and they were lacking the wit he knew she had in her.

Because he wanted to see her and maybe take some stress off of her shoulders, he offered to bring her dinner and she jumped at the chance. They chose Wednesday because Rory would be at her ballet lesson.

Luke drove up to the quiet neighborhood in his old green pick-up truck. It looked out of place next to the brand new cars that were parked on the street.

Lorelai's house was a townhouse on a tree lined street. The exterior was white brick and her shutters were black. An elegant wrought iron lamp post lit his way up the walk. She had flowers on either side of the door. Pansies or something of the sort. He had never really known his flowers.

Luke took a breath before reaching up to knock on the door. He heard a commotion as someone made their way down the entrance hall and the door flew open. There stood Lorelai. He smiled at her before quickly noticing her appearance: old sweatpants and fuzzy socks, a long sleeved t-shirt, and her hair piled on top of her head in a messy knot. She was holding a garbage bag in one hand and had a yellow rubber glove on the other. She looked like the walking dead from the movie they had just seen, and it was a little scary for him.

Lorelai looked puzzled before it dawned on her.

"Oh, shit."

That wasn't exactly the greeting he was looking for and he didn't know how to respond. "Um, do you want me to come back?" he asked.

Her hand flew up to her head as she massaged the place above her eyebrow. "No, I'm so sorry Luke. I promise, I didn't forget. Rory's been sick so I haven't gotten any studying done, and I'm just doing whatever I can to make her comfortable. I promise, I didn't forget, I just….didn't remember."

She looked so stressed and he just wanted to hug her and make everything better. He noticed the dark circles under her eyes.

"May I?" he asked for entrance. Lorelai stepped aside allowing him in the foyer. He handed her his jacket and took the trash bag. He could tell she was flustered.

"Luke, I don't think you should be here. I'm not ready to introduce you to Rory yet, and I need to get up there to clean up the mess we've made."

Dropping the bag, Luke took her hand and squeezed. "I'm not here to make this more difficult for you. Point me in the direction of the bathroom and I'll take care of it while you get her comfortable. After she's settled, we'll have Chinese and I'll help you study for your test. What's it on?"

She looked at him as if he had three heads. "Macroeconomic Theory," she answered.

He smiled at her. "Perfect. My specialty."

She still looked hesitant. "Lorelai, let me help you. I promise, Rory won't even know I'm here."

"You sure you don't mind cleaning the bathroom? Usually I don't make my dates do that until at least the fourth date," she joked.

"What can I say? I must be special," he quipped back.

"Thank you," she said, almost whispering.

Luke winked at her before following her to the bathroom he would be cleaning.

* * *

It definitely wasn't his favorite thing to do but if it was a way to help his girl, he would. Rory apparently had the chicken pox, at least, that's what Luke assumed from the oatmeal bath that was on the counter. Poor thing. He remembered being so miserable when he had them. He definitely felt sympathy for the little girl.

When the tile was gleaming and the counters were scrubbed, Luke tied up the trash bag and headed back downstairs.

Placing it by the front door, he headed into the living room at the back of the house where Lorelai was sitting on the sectional sofa with a book in her hands. She was so engrossed in it that she didn't even notice him enter the room.

He sat down on the opposite side of the couch from her. The motion made her look up from her book. She closed it and set it down on the coffee table, looking back to him with a shy smile on her face.

"Did you get Rory to sleep?" he asked.

"Yeah. She finally settled down." Lorelai looked down at her folded hands. "Look Luke, I'm really sorry about tonight. I was just so overwhelmed and wasn't thinking….."

Luke silenced her by placing his hand over hers and kissing her gently. "It's really ok," he answered. "You don't have to apologize. Point me to your phone and we'll have dinner delivered in twenty minutes."

She flipped her hand so that it intertwined with his. "Luke, you're being so great. I haven't had a real relationship with anyone since Rory's father, and even then, it was centered more around what class we could skip to smoke cigarettes behind the school. I've never had to juggle Rory and a boyfriend and I'm really afraid I'm going to be bad at it and that you're going to get tired of her needs coming above yours."

"This isn't something we need to talk about now," he said. "Tonight, we're going to get you ready for your exam, and then when Rory is better and you've passed your classes with flying colors, we'll talk. But Lorelai?" Her gaze moved from their joined hands to his expressive eyes. She saw the love that he had for her, even if he wouldn't say it yet. "This might scare you, but you and me? I'm in this. I'm all in. And I'll take whatever you want to give me."

He kissed her once more and got up off of the couch to grab the Chinese menu sitting on her counter.

"Now, how about that dinner?" he asked.

* * *

Four hours later, two cups of coffee (for her, he drank water), and the entire chicken column from China Cottage later, he was propped in the corner of the sofa while she paced the floor. He knew nothing about the subject they were studying, but he could at least read questions to her and understand the answers from the surrounding text.

"Ok, Woodford and Sims, in their fiscal theory of the price level, a nominal interest rate peg leaves what?" he asked.

"The equilibrium price level process determinate?" she answered.

Luke closed the book in his lap. "Lorelai, you have this. You're going to nail this test."

"Really?" she asked, ringing her hands. "I wish I had studied earlier. I'd be more confident about this."

"You've got it," he said, smiling.

Lorelai flopped down on the couch next to him and yawned. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

"What time is your test?" he asked.

"Eleven. Should give me enough time to get Rory settled with the nanny," she planned out loud. She opened her eyes and looked at the clock, noticing it was almost 3:30 in the morning. "You can crash on the couch tonight if you want."

"Actually, I have to be up in the next couple of hours, so I should probably just head home," Luke answered, getting up. Lorelai stood and walked him to the door.

She wrapped her arms around his middle and rested her cheek against his chest and marveled at how safe she felt wrapped in his arms. "Thank you, well, for everything, Luke."

"You're welcome," he told her before kissing her lips. Knowing it was late, he didn't allow either of them get carried away.

He opened the door and stepped out onto the front step.

"Luke," she called out to him. He turned to look at her. "My parents are throwing me a graduation party on Sunday. It's going to be fancy and stuffy and not at all my taste, but I'd love it if you would come. I mean, if you want to."

Luke was shocked. "Wouldn't that mean…."

"Meeting Rory? And my parents? Yes."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"It would mean a lot if you were there."

He smiled and squeezed her hand. "I wouldn't miss it," he assured her.

Lorelai watched him get into his car before closing going back inside. She leaned against the door and smiled. She knew this was the beginning of something big.


	5. Chapter 4

Four days later, Luke found himself in a tie walking up to the Hillwood Country Club. He tried to ignore the looks he got pulling up to the elegant building in his old pick-up truck and tried to convince himself that since Lorelai had invited him, he belonged there.

Passing through the elegant doors, he immediately saw Lorelai standing to the right with a little girl who must have been Rory. Lorelai was wearing a navy blue dress with a white sash around her waist and navy blue heels that made her legs seem to go on for days. Luke wasn't an especially tall man, but he loved how she could wear heels and still be several inches shorter than him.

In her arms was a beautiful little girl. Her hair was lighter than Lorelai's but her eyes were just as blue. Seeing the red dots on her face and arms made him assume that she was Rory, the daughter he had heard so much about. She had her head on her mother's shoulder and was looking tired. Lorelai continued her conversation with an older couple, unconsciously rocking her daughter.

Luke made his way over to Lorelai and placed his hand on the small of her back. She looked up to see him and her entire face lit up.

"Hi! I was worried you weren't going to make it," she said. "Mr. and Mrs. Lamontagne, this is my friend Luke Danes."

Luke greeted the couple by shaking their hands.

"Mama, I'm thirsty," Rory said.

"I'm going to try to get some juice for my daughter," Lorelai said to the Lamontagne's. "It was wonderful seeing you. Please say goodbye before you go."

Luke followed her to a dark corner of the room. She turned around and squeezed his hand.

"Thank you for coming," she said.

Before Luke could answer, a small voice spoke up. "Mommy, who is that man?"

Luke couldn't help but chuckle. Lorelai set Rory down on the floor and got down on her level. "Baby girl, this is my friend Luke. Luke, this is Rory, my daughter."

Rory stuck her hand out. "My name is Lorelai Leigh Gilmore, but everyone calls me Rory because my mom's name is Lorelai too. It gets really confusing, so it's probably best if you just call me Rory."

Luke bent down to shake her tiny hand. "Are you the man who was cleaning our bathroom the other day? I felt really bad because I knew mommy had her big test, but I was just so itchy, so she gave me a bath in oatmeal, but told me that I wasn't allowed to eat the oatmeal because it's not the kind you eat. I thought it was silly, but I was good and listened, 'specially cause it didn't have cimmanon in it. But after the bath I started getting really cold, and mom said I was running a fever, and, well, it just went all downhill from there. So thank you for cleaning our bathroom. Mom refuses to get a maid even though grandma tells her she should."

Luke looked to Lorelai. "She's not shy, is she?" he said, chuckling.

Lorelai looked puzzled. "Actually, she is pretty shy. I've never heard her talk to a stranger this much," she said.

"Hey Mr. Luke, look, my skirt goes out when I spin," Rory said, turning around in a circle. Lorelai reached out and grabbed her just before she crashed into a waiter carrying full champagne flutes.

"Remember, we can't run around here," Lorelai reminded her. "You have to be on your Grandma and Grandpa behavior."

Rory rolled her eyes and whispered loudly "Inside voices, no running, perfect manners."

"Good job," Lorelai said. "And what do you get for having an inside voice, not running and having perfect manners?"

"A dance party when we get home!" Rory whispered excitedly.

"Yup! Hey Ror, why don't you go see Grandma and tell her you want some juice?" Lorelai suggested to her daughter.

"Ok!" she exclaimed, already headed to her grandmother's side.

Lorelai's smile was huge when she turned to him. "I'm really happy you came," she told him.

"I would have been here earlier if I had known how gorgeous you would look," Luke told her.

Lorelai laughed. "Yeah, I suppose this is better than sweats and fuzzy socks," she said.

Luke took her hand in his and simply responded "Not better, just different. You'd be gorgeous in anything you'd wear."

She blushed and looked down. "You look great too. I'm guessing I won't get to see you in a suit often, hmm?"

"No, not if I can help it," he told her honestly.

She led him to a tall cocktail table where her friends were standing. Of course, Emma immediately caught on to their intertwined hands.

"I knew it!" she exclaimed. "I knew you were going to hook up! Tell me Lore, is his reputation as a rockstar in bed warranted?"

Now it was Luke's turn to blush. "Can it, Em," he responded for Lorelai. "Where's your date? I don't see Todd skulking around here."

"Meh, I dumped him two weeks ago," Emma shrugged. "As soon as Carrie got back into town, he couldn't wait to go back to her. I'm better off."

Luke agreed, but he didn't tell her that.

Lorelai turned to him and whispered in his ear. "I have to go make the rounds before my mother has a coronary. Will you be ok with Emma and Mackenna?"

Luke nodded and tried to ignore the butterflies when she kissed him on the cheek before turning and walking away. His attention was pulled away from the sway of her hips by his annoying friend. "So Luke, going after a Vandy girl, hm?"

He just rolled his eyes and headed to the bar.

* * *

Luke was greatly enjoying his miniature lobster quiche when Lorelai came up behind him and placed her hand on his back.

"Wanna meet my parents?" she asked.

"Trick question?" he answered.

She laughed and led him over to a handsome older couple in their early 50's.

"Mom, Dad, may I introduce you to Luke Danes?"

"It's nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore. This is a great party," Luke said earnestly, holding out his hand to the couple. Mrs. Gilmore looked at his callused hand like it was contaminated. Mr. Gilmore hid his disdain better, but just barely.

"Luke has been really helpful the last few weeks. He even came over to help me study," Lorelai said. Luke beamed and blushed when she went on to tell her parents about their date.

"What college do you attend Mr. Danes?" Emily asked.

"Please, it's just Luke, Ms. Gilmore. And I didn't attend college. My dad died right after I graduated from high school and I took over the family business."

"And what do you do, Luke?" Emily asked. Her tone indicated that she didn't really care what he did, he would never be good enough for Lorelai.

"I own a farm just outside of town," he answered proudly.

"I see," Richard piped in. "What do you farm?"

"I have some cattle, but mostly I plant crops. Apples in the fall, berries, corn and wheat in the summer."

"And is that kind of work profitable?" Emily asked.

"I do ok," Luke admitted. "It's taken me a few years, but the farm is finally turning a profit."

"That's hard work, isn't it?" Richard asked. "Seven days a week, sun up until sun down. Not a life conducive to raising a family."

"Dad!" Lorelai said.

"It's a lot of work sir, but I try to keep my priorities straight and put the important things first."

Richard hummed.

"You know, Christopher just went into the computer business, Lorelai. He's moving to California to work at a tech start-up."

"Mother, what does that have to do with anything?" Lorelai asked. She was visibly angry, so Luke grabbed her hand and rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. It was obvious to him that the elder Gilmores saw his non-designer suit and had made their decision about him. Clearly, they were not happy about their relationship, but as long as Lorelai was in it, that's all that mattered to him.

Emily shrugged. "Just thought you would want to know."

She was already looking around the room to find an excuse to leave. After an awkward silence, she finally said "I see the Dervishes. I need to say hello.

"I need to schedule a meeting with Joshua Dervish. I think I'll follow her," Richard fibbed before excusing himself from the group.

Lorelai looked disgusted. "I am so sorry Luke. I had no idea they would be so rude."

She was almost shaking she was so angry. He shrugged.

"Christopher is…." Luke asked.

"Rory's father. My soul mate according to my parents," Lorelai answered.

Luke pulled her into a hug, hoping it would help to calm her down slightly.

"I really want more of that lobster quiche. Want to go find it with me?" he asked.

Finally, she smiled. With a nod, he led her to the buffet.

* * *

An hour later, they were standing with Emma, Kate and Mackenna when Rory approached them.

"Momma, I'm tired," she said, tugging on Lorelai's skirt. Lorelai reached down to pick her up, but she wiggled out of her arms.

"No, I want Luke," Rory pouted.

Luke wasn't sure who was more surprised, Lorelai or himself.

"Um, sure," he said scooping the small girl up.

She rested her head against his neck and was asleep in five minutes. He ignored the looks that Lorelai's friends were giving her.

"She's really heavy and she drools in her sleep," Lorelai said. "I can go lay her down somewhere so you don't have to hold her."

Luke didn't want to admit that he liked having the small girl in his arms. He knew at that point that he would lay down his life to protect this little girl, so he brushed Lorelai off. "She's fine," he said patting Rory's back softly.

She remained there for the rest of the party; fast asleep in his arms. He was thankful that his job required him to work with his arms every day, otherwise he knew they would have been killing him. At the end of the party, he slipped her into her car seat and let Lorelai buckle her in.

"I'd invite you over for but my parents are staying with me," Lorelai said seductively.

He ran his knuckles across her cheek. "I don't know if we're there yet," he said. "Don't get me wrong, I really want to. You're gorgeous, sexy, and so so sweet. But it's not just us, so I think we should take this slow."

"You're right," she said. "I'm a horrible mother…."

Luke put his finger up to her mouth to quiet her. "There is not one part of you that is a horrible mother," he said. "Let's schedule our second real date and we can see where it goes from there."

Lorelai weaved her fingers through his. "This week is pretty busy. There are so many parties, and Rory is finishing up with school. Can I call you?"

"Of course," Luke responded. "So, your parents are assholes."

Lorelai laughed. "They are. I'm sorry."

He gave her a searing kiss and then helped her into her car.

"I'll call you this week," she promised as she drove away.

 _I'm counting down the hours_ , he thought.

* * *

One of the things Luke liked about being a farmer was how much time he had to think. Riding around his fields on his tractor, a white t-shirt, jeans, and a baseball cap on, nothing but the sound of the motor running, it allowed him ample time to reflect on his life and what he wanted to accomplish.

Today was not one of those days. With the warmer weather came the people from the city interested in picking strawberries and pretending that they were farmers for the day. For some reason, this day was exceptionally busy, so instead of working in the back fields as he preferred, Luke was working at the farm stand that was overrun with people.

He had hired Cesar to oversee this part of the farm because he knew he didn't have the personality to get giddy when a kid reached their grubby hands into a strawberry bush to pull out a piece of fruit. He did that every damn day, so he found it difficult to get excited about it.

This morning, Cesar called him at eight o'clock to let him know that the farm stand, where people could buy pre-picked bushels of strawberries, early season corn, peaches as well as baskets to pick their own berries, had a line nearly fifty people deep. Cesar's assistant, Julianna, had called out leaving him to run things himself and he was overwhelmed. Rather than heading to his little piece of solitude, Luke headed to the farm stand, already missing the quiet.

It had been crazy all day and now, as the hour hand of his watch was rounding to 3:00, he just wanted a beer and his couch. If one more kid started screaming because they wanted candy, he was not going to be held responsible for his actions.

"$17.50," he said to the next person in line as he counted three small baskets of strawberries and a bushel of corn. He took the person's money without really looking at them and turned to help the next person in this never-ending line.

"Mister Luke!" squealed a tiny voice. Luke turned around quickly, finding the source of the squeal; a blue-eyed, brown haired girl who was so excited she was bouncing on the tips of her sparkly, light-up shoes. Her mother was right behind her, looking as gorgeous as ever.

"Hey! What are you two doing here?" he asked, leaning over to give Lorelai a kiss on the cheek.

"Me too!" Rory said, pointing to her cheek. Luke leaned down and gave her a zerbert where she was pointing. It caused her to giggle which made him smile.

"You're busy today," Lorelai observed, looking around at the chaos in the small wooden stand.

Luke looked around. "It's been like this all day," he said.

"Good for business, right?" Lorelai asked.

"Yes, good for the aspirin business I'm going to need to invest in," he responded.

Lorelai laughed. He loved the sound of her laughter. Airy, light.

"So, are you out of school for the day?" Luke asked Rory.

She rolled her eyes and folded her arms over her chest. "No Mister Luke. School was out last week. I went to the doctor today and I get a treat."

Luke had forgotten school let out around this time. Of course that's why there were so many kids running around. That's how in tune with kids he was. But a treat for the doctor? He had never gotten a treat for the doctor.

"Because she was such a good girl when she got her shots, I told her she could pick a special dessert after dinner. She wanted strawberry shortcake, so I thought we could pick some strawberries. If we happened to see you, it was a bonus." Lorelai followed up.

He couldn't help but notice that rather than going to the grocery store, or any of the dozens of farm stands between her house and his, they had thought to come here to see him. Luke handed each of them an empty carton. "Get some good ones," he told Rory in particular.

"How much do we owe you?" Lorelai asked, pulling money out of her pocket.

Luke gave her a blank stare which made her laugh. "Come on, this is your livelihood. We should pay."

"Lorelai, you are not paying. You two should go have fun and come back to see me before you leave," he said.

She stood on her toes to kiss him sweetly on the lips. "Thank you," she said quietly.

Rory was practically pulling her out of the stand so she had no choice but to follow. Luke waved after them but was quickly pulled back into work when the next customer demanded his attention.

* * *

An hour later, Rory ran up to him with a container full of ripe, red fruit. She was anxious to show off her picks and Luke hoped that he had appropriately oohed and ahhed like he knew he should. It wasn't as difficult with her as some other kids, but he wasn't sure if he was doing it correctly. She smiled as he showered her with praise, so he hoped it was enough. When he looked up at Lorelai from his crouched position, she was smiling too. Guess he wasn't doing a completely horrible job.

"Hey Mister Luke, guess what?" Rory asked.

"What?" Luke responded, turning his attention back to the girl.

"Mommy thinks you should come over tonight for dessert since…" Rory looked around to make sure no one was listening before finishing her sentence in an exaggerated whisper "you didn't let us pay."

"Are you sure you got enough strawberries to feed me too?" he whispered back. Rory excitedly started jumping, forgetting that she had a container of strawberries in her hands. Before they could fly everywhere, Luke took the container and put them in a small paper bag for her.

"Here you go," he said handing her the bag. "Now you don't have to worry about them going everywhere."

She took the bag and hugged his leg. "Thank you," she told him. "And yes, we have more than enough."

"Well then, it wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me to turn down a pretty lady's offer, now would it?" he said to Rory.

She giggled and ran up to bug Cesar, leaving the two adults somewhat alone.

"Lorelai, I want to take you out again. Maybe with Rory this time?" he told her.

She looked shocked. "Really? You want to take my daughter out on a date with us?"

He nodded and cupped her cheek. "Well, it's clear that we need a chaperone," he said, kissing her lips.

Lorelai pulled away first. "She likes the zoo. Do you like the zoo?"

Did Luke like the zoo? Hell, it had been eighteen years since he had been to the Nashville Zoo. He liked it when he was a kid but now, he just thought of it as smelly with a lot of kids. He guessed if he was going to be anything to Lorelai, he needed to stop thinking that way.

"Of course," he lied. "Who doesn't like the zoo?"

As he watched Rory pull her mother towards their car, Luke realized that for the first time all day, he was craving something a little bit sweeter than a beer and his couch, and it looked like that would come in the form of two ladies sharing their dessert with him.


	6. Chapter 5

Dessert had been great but the strawberries had nothing on the sweet kisses Luke stole from his girl as she walked him to her car. As he drove away that night, Luke realized how happy he was that Lorelai was inviting him into not only her life but Rory's as well.

Before he knew it, he found himself standing at their door again, ready pick them up for their date to the zoo.

He knocked on the door and immediately heard a little girl's screeching from behind the closed door. "Who is it?" she yelled.

"It's Luke," he responded. He suddenly felt extremely protective. Was it safe for her to be doing this? What if he was a stranger?

Rory threw open the door and invited him in. Lorelai quickly walked up behind her to greet him as well.

"Is it safe for her to be doing that?" Luke asked Lorelai.

"What? Opening the door?" Lorelai asked.

Luke nodded.

"I asked who it was, momma," Rory said with a shrug.

"If she knows the person who answers, she can open the door. If she doesn't, she has to come get me."

Luke was slightly more satisfied with her answer, but he still worried for the little girl's safety. He also knew that he wasn't her parent, so it wasn't his place and he let it drop.

Luke handed Lorelai a bouquet of pink and orange flowers. The woman at the store said they were daisies, roses and hydrangeas, but he couldn't say which was which. Lorelai smiled and held them up to her nose. "Daisies are my favorite," she said. "This was so thoughtful. Thank you, Luke."

He had also gotten Rory a smaller bouquet. He knew these were daisies too, but they were very different from the daisies in Lorelai's bouquet. Rory giggled and smelled the bouquet, imitating her mom.

"Thank you, Mister Luke," she said. "Momma, we need to put these in water!"

Lorelai ushered them all into the kitchen and pulled out two vases for the flowers. After filling them with water and placing each bouquet in the glass, she set about lathering sun screen on Rory.

"Do you need any?" Lorelai asked. Luke paused for a moment, thinking about how much he would love to have her hands rubbing lotion on him, but ultimately declined, knowing it wasn't appropriate. However, after Rory ran off to get her shoes, he couldn't help but appreciate the way she would slather the white lotion on her skin and rub it into her arms and legs.

"Would you mind?" she asked, turning to him and holding out the bottle. She moved her hair to indicate that she wanted it on her shoulders and neck. The tank top she was wearing wouldn't offer much in the way of protection, but would definitely keep her cool. And if Luke was honest with himself, it would give him a great reason to stare at her beautiful body.

He rubbed the lotion into her skin and couldn't help but notice how her eyes closed and she bit her lip. He took more time than he needed to massage her shoulders and neck before moving his hands to the safety of his pockets. Her reaction had him wanting to move his hands to other parts of her body that were inappropriate given the proximity of her five year old daughter.

"Come on!" Rory said from the doorway. "The zoo isn't going to wait for us!"

They both laughed but followed Rory out of the room, each excited to get to their destination for different reasons.

Nothing could have prepared Luke for the amount of energy Rory expelled. He definitely had a new found appreciation for Lorelai being a single mom. Rory ran from one exhibit to another, pure excitement on her face.

"Look momma! It's a llama, just like in 'Is Your Mama a Llama?'" she exclaimed. She told Luke about the book, the words tumbling out of her mouth in one fluid stream. He was having a hard time keeping up with her train of thought before she jumped up and ran to the next animal.

Although the zoo wasn't exceptionally busy, he was still in a constant state of worry about where she was, if she was safe, if there were any strangers with candy nearby. Lorelai chuckled when he asked if Rory should be on the bottom rung of the fence.

"She's fine, Luke. Now when she starts doing her balance beam act on the top rail at the lion's den, I might say something to her."

"Like hell she will," Luke growled. Lorelai laughed and pulled him down to her for a chaste kiss.

"Relax," she told him. "I have an eye on her. I'm not going to let anything happen to her."

Despite Lorelai's reassurances, Luke still kept a watchful eye on the girl. Although her mother was there, he just felt responsible. He had never felt this responsibility before, even for his sister. His heart jumped into his throat when she tripped and fell in the DinoTrex exhibit, but she just jumped up and ran on to see the next dinosaur.

"See," Lorelai said. "She's fine. You don't need to be on edge so much. Kids fall, they get back up. She knows not to get too far ahead of us or out of my sight, and she knows not to talk to strangers. Stop worrying."

After that, Luke was able to relax slightly. He was still constantly aware of what was around them, but he was also able to enjoy his time with the two girls.

Rory was a kid, and she loved seeing the animals that she only read about in her books. Her favorite animals were the kangaroos and she entertained Luke and Lorelai by hopping like a kangaroo outside of the exhibit. Lorelai joined her but despite the pouts and pleas from both girls, Luke refused to hop.

It wasn't every day that Luke got to see the zoo through the eyes of a child. He just didn't have too many kids in his life. He loved watching Rory get excited about the elephants or gorillas. He told her stories about riding a camel when he was a kid, and made up stories about the personalities of each animal. For a while, he had her convinced that he could hear their thoughts until he taught her his trick. From that point on, they took turns making up outlandish stories about the animals just to make Lorelai laugh. When she got tired of walking, he put her on his shoulders. If someone had asked him a month ago what he thought of the zoo, he would have said it was smelly and had too many damn kids. Somehow, when Rory was around, he didn't think it was that bad.

Towards the end of the day, Luke and Lorelai were walking hand-in-hand behind Rory while she skipped along "Savannah Loop."

"Luke, we had a great day," Lorelai told him earnestly. "I really appreciate that you are going out of your way to include Rory."

Luke shrugged. "She's great," he said. "You're great."

They walked in silence for a moment before Luke said what he was really thinking.

"Lorelai, I know this might not be what you want right now. I know that you just graduated from college and you have Rory to think about, but I'm not seeing anyone else, and I'd really like to see you exclusively, you know, if you want."

Lorelai smiled and looked up at him. "Are you asking me to go steady?" she said with a smirk.

"Yeah, I guess I am," he answered. He held her hand up and kissed her fingertips. "I just want to be the one who you call when you've had a bad day, or who makes Rory laugh."

Lorelai stopped and leaned against one of the railings, pulling his body flush to hers.

She kissed him on the lips.

"Luke, I'm not seeing anyone else either, but you need to know what you're getting into here. This is Rory, every day. She is energetic and curious and likes to hop like a kangaroo. She gets hurt and she cries and when she's tired, she's not a very nice little girl. There are days where it's all I can do to drag myself to bed after I put her to sleep. It's rare that I go out to non-kid friendly events, I can't drink to get drunk, and every single thing I do has to be with her in mind. I probably won't be able to have sleepovers, and she'll be with us a large portion of the time. I know that this is a lot to take in, but I just want you to go into something with your eyes wide open. It's great that you want to step in here and play a role, but it's not just about making Rory laugh. It's about being there even when you don't want to be."

Luke took a step back and adjusted his baseball cap. "So, you're saying that I have to become a father right away?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying," Lorelai countered. "I just need you to understand that you aren't just dating me. You're in her life too. And I'm not the normal 22-year old who can hang out in a field and drink beer every Friday night. That first night I met you? I left so suddenly because I had to get home so the babysitter could go. You're young, and I don't want to tie you down with my grandma ways."

Luke rubbed his hands over his face, trying to calm himself down. He was upset that she would presume that all he wanted to do was go out and have fun. So little of his life was about fun and he thought that had been changing with her presence in his life. He made sure his voice was strong and clear when he spoke, but tried to keep the anger at bay.

"I go to bed most nights at 9 because I am awake at 4:30 getting ready to go out and work. I work until the sun goes down or until I can't physically do any more that day. My father got sick when I was 15 and I spent the last three years of his life balancing school, taking care of my sister, taking care of him, and trying to figure out how to manage the farm. No, I've never cared for a child full time, but towards the end, when he couldn't get out of bed and needed 24-hour hospice care, he was little more than an infant. I go out with my friends maybe once or twice a month. I haven't been a kid since my mother died, and I hoped that you would see that I'm not the kind of guy who is going to run when things get tough."

He turned away from her and leaned on the railing on the opposite side of the board walk. Lorelai came up to him and ran her hands along his strong back before standing next to him with her hands resting on his waist.

"I didn't mean to offend you, Luke. I know you're different and maybe that's why I feel comfortable bringing this up with you. I care about you. I think you're a great guy, and Rory is crazy about you. But I have to think about how it would kill her if she became invested and then you decided that you didn't want this."

Luke turned towards her, leaning his hip on the railing. "It would kill Rory, or it would kill Lorelai?" he asked.

Lorelai looked down. "Both."

"I'm not here for a quick lay, Lorelai. I'm walking into this with both eyes open. I think I have a decent idea of what it's going to be like with you two. For starters, I'm going to need a lot of Tums," he said as he motioned his head towards Rory who was on her hands and knees with her head between the posts of the lowest fence rung.

Lorelai laughed and then turned her attention back to Luke. "And you're willing to try?" she asked with a shy smile.

"If I get to see that smile, I'm willing to try," he told her. "Are you?"

Lorelai nodded and he felt himself release a breath he hadn't known he was holding. He leaned down and kissed her, pulling her body flush against his.

"EWWWWWW!" a small voice exclaimed. "Come on you two! Stop being gross and let's go see the elephants!"

They broke apart and laughed as Rory pulled them both with her to see the elephants.


	7. Chapter 6

Since 2005, Luke had been throwing a blow-out party for the fourth of July at his farmhouse. The home had been built on 3 acres at the edge of the property and he had a large yard and huge wrap-around porch that was perfect for a warm summer celebration. His friends always brought the liquor and he grilled the food. It had been a tradition that he ended up looking forward to all year long.

This year was the first year that Lorelai and Rory would be coming to his house. Because he wanted his girls there as long as possible, they had discussed in advance that the two would spend the night at his house. Luke had even gone out to buy a Rory-sized bed and princess sheets to place in one of his spare rooms. He was worried about how his friends would take to the little girl, but he knew that both he and Lorelai, as well as Emma and Mackenna would help to keep her shielded from any madness.

At noon, Luke was surprised to see Lorelai's jeep coming up his driveway. By the time he pulled his shoes on to go out and greet her, she was already working on getting Rory out of her car seat.

He kissed her on the cheek and asked her what she was doing there so early.

"Hope it's ok," she said. "We wanted to come hang out with you."

"Of course it's ok," he replied, picking Rory up.

"Mommy wanted to make her salads and I wanted to color you a picture," Rory said to him. "She said you got me a bed because we're going to have a slumber party tonight!"

Luke chuckled and grabbed Lorelai's hand, leading his girls inside.

They set Rory up at the kitchen table with her coloring book and crayons. Luke sat on the counter while Lorelai made her broccoli salad. She pretended to get upset when he stole bits of her ingredients but he loved the smile she would give him when she swatted him with a spoon.

Lorelai negotiated with Rory to take a nap, knowing that she would be up a little later than normal. By the time Rory was ready to go down, Lorelai had made 3 side dishes and Luke had his steaks marinating. Rory insisted that Luke tuck her in, so with Lorelai's help, he pulled the princess sheets up to her chin and kissed her on the forehead.

"Just a little rest sweets," Lorelai said. "By the time you wake up, we'll be ready to party!"

Rory smiled and closed her eyes. Silently, Lorelai led Luke out of the room and closed the door behind them. She turned around and pressed him up against the wall with a searing kiss. He was a little more than aroused when they broke apart and by the way she was panting, he could only imagine she was too.

"What should we do now?" Lorelai asked. "Rory is fast asleep, and we still have 3 hours before everyone shows up. Want to give me the grand tour?"

Luke kissed her again. "I'd rather take you up against this wall, but I know that's not an option, so sure, I can show you around." She seemed so natural in his home that he had to remind himself that she had never been there before.

Luke began the tour on the first floor. Lorelai had already seen the kitchen so he led her into the family room. She immediately sat down on his black leather sofa.

"Comfy," she said with a smile. Luke tried to ignore how much he liked the sight of her sitting there and instead flipped on the gas fireplace that was under his enormous flat-screen TV.

"It's great when it gets cold outside. I can see the snow falling through the windows but can still sit inside and be warm with the fire. She rose and went to stand with him, running her hands over his chest.

"It's not cold right now," she said, leaning up to kiss him. This kiss was slow but full of passion. It made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. When they finally broke apart, he had goose bumps all over, and he noticed Lorelai did too.

She grabbed his hand and led him to the next room – the dining room. He crouched down to point out where his mother had measured his height on the door frame. She kneeled down innocently, and as she leaned forward to see the marks, she turned her head at the last minute to kiss him.

"Are you going to try to make out with me in every room of my house?" he asked her.

"Well, until you can fuck me in every room of your house, I'll have to settle for a slightly more innocent kiss," she responded.

Luke groaned. "Woman, you're killing me."

She winked and moved into another room of the house. And so it continued throughout the rooms. He would point out certain features, and she would kiss him. Each kiss held more passion than the last, but she would break it off before they got too far and lead him to the next room she wanted to explore. This game of cat and mouse was getting him pretty worked up and he tried to remember that there was a five-year-old girl napping upstairs.

She led him into the master bedroom, his bedroom, and smiled demurely, slowly pulling off her sweater and dropping it on the floor. The tank top she was wearing underneath showed off her gorgeous skin and a hint of cleavage. Luke groaned again.

"It's getting warm, don't you think?" She smiled demurely. She knew exactly what she was doing.

Lorelai took in the room. She bounced on the bed a couple of times, and then got up to examine Luke's dresser. She ran her fingers over the pictures he kept on his dresser: a picture of his parents on their wedding day and a picture of who he assumed was his sister with his nephew. He stayed leaning against the doorframe while she explored each surface. She walked over to the window and the way the light caught her hair made him move to her quickly. He took her in his arms and ran his knuckles along her cheek.

"So beautiful," he said before lowering his lips to hers. He smiled when she tried to pull away and responded by holding her tighter. Looking into her ice blue eyes, he tucked stray lock of hair behind her ear. He could swear those eyes held the universe; his anyway.

"There is nothing I want to do more than undress you and worship every inch of skin I uncover. I want to lay you down on my bed and cover you with my body. I want to wrap myself around you and make you feel so good that you forget everything else. I want to make love to you just so you understand the depths of my feelings for you. Lorelai, I know it's early, but I can't imagine loving anyone else the way I love you."

Lorelai smiled and pressed her lips against his. "I love you too, Luke," she answered once they broke apart. He felt like his heart might explode with happiness. He held her tighter, enjoying the feeling of having her in his arms.

They broke apart when they heard a door down the hall open. "Mommy? I'm thirsty" Rory's tiny voice called out.

Lorelai laughed and leaned her head on his chest. "Be right there, sweets," she called back. Rory's thirst was quickly forgotten as Luke captured her lips again. She was pressing her center against his, and he welcomed the pressure. They finally broke apart when they heard Rory turning on the faucet in the bathroom. Luke groaned and adjusted himself with the loss of contact.

"Hey, I told you, the kid always comes first," Lorelai reminded him with a wink.

"There's water or juice in the fridge. I'll come down and make a snack once I get my problem under control," he said.

She kissed him quickly again and left the room, leaving Luke alone to think about baseball stats, his grandma in her underwear, anything to become less excited.

* * *

The party was in full swing. The keg had been tapped, the meat had been barbecued, and the sun was sinking lower in the sky.

Lorelai was running around the yard with Rory, Emma and Makenna, playing tag. Luke was standing near the keg with Trevor and another one of their friends. He watched his girlfriend chase her daughter, both so carefree and young. Smiling, he took a sip of his beer and was suddenly struck with the want to see them like this for the rest of his life. He choked that thought back, along with the bitter liquid.

So far, his friends had been extremely accepting of Rory, even going so far as to watch their language around her. They seemed more fascinated with the tiny human than annoyed with her. He was grateful that things were going off without a hitch.

"Hey there, Butch," came a voice from behind. Luke visibly tensed at the use of his childhood nickname. Only one person still called him that, and he'd know her nasally voice anywhere. Although he hadn't invited her, somehow Crazy Carrie had made her way to the party.

Luke turned around and tried to hide his grimace as she approached. "Hi Carrie, how's it going?"

Carrie ran her fingers along his chest, where just minutes earlier, Lorelai had placed hers. The thought made him cringe and he took a step back. Unfortunately, she followed him, this time, squeezing his bicep.

"Oh, you know, same old, same old," she responded.

"Are you still with Frankie?" Luke asked, trying to fight off her advances. He looked over to Trevor for help, but he was just smirking at the scene in front of him.

"Oh no," Carrie shrugged dismissively. "That was over ages ago."

"Great, well, I'm really happy with Lorelai, so…."he didn't finish his thought, but he did remove her hand from his arm.

"I'll see you around, Butch," she said over her shoulder. Luke noticed that she threw in a wink over her shoulder as she walked away.

Trevor dissolved into fits of laughter as Luke's face turned bright red. "Thanks a lot for your help, asshole. What if Lorelai had seen that disgusting display?"

This just made Trevor laugh harder. Luke filled up his cup and walked away grumbling under his breath. Some friends he had.

* * *

The long summer afternoon stretched into the evening and the sunset closed its fist over Tennessee. Rory was getting tired, so Lorelai took her upstairs for a bath and bed. Yet again, he was struck at how good Rory was, agreeing to go to sleep without a fight. He could remember his sister throwing massive temper tantrums at bedtime when she was Rory's age. Instead, the little girl hugged him goodnight and wished him sweet dreams.

He knew he would kick his own ass for being a pussy, but the party just wasn't as much fun without Lorelai. He took some time to sit on the sidelines and wait for his girl. He was rocking on the porch swing watching the people around him, enjoying the laughter and memories that were being made.

The screen door opened and Lorelai came outside. She immediately sat down next to him and curled into his side. He happily put his arm around her and they watched the revelry in silence for a few minutes. It wasn't long before several fireworks went off in the distance.

"Will those wake Rory up?" he asked.

"No," she assured him. "Once she's asleep, a two-ton tank couldn't wake her up."

Luke kissed the top of her head, and they sat in silence for a few moments.

"LORE! There you are!" exclaimed a very drunk Emma who was stumbling up the steps to them, breaking their bubble of solitude. "You have to come dance with me! That guy, Joe, or Josh, something with a J, he's playing the guitar, and he might get signed to a label! Come dance!"

Lorelai looked at Luke who shrugged and removed his arm from her shoulder.

"Stay here," she said, kissing him. "I'll be back soon."

As she walked away, she added an extra little sway to her hips and smiled over her shoulder at him. He was watching her backside so intently, that he didn't even see Carrie saunter up the steps to where he was sitting.

She sat next to him making the swing rock a little. He looked over and immediately backed himself into the side of the swing.

"Uh yeah, hey there Carrie," he said.

Carrie took that as an invitation to lean closer. Luke tried to back away further, but he was blocked by the arm of the swing.

She looked up at him under her eye lashes. "Come on, Luke. You know you've wanted me since our senior year of high school."

Before Luke could protest, Carrie launched at him and pressed her lips to his. She efficiently had him trapped between her body and the side of the swing. He couldn't get away without throwing her off of him.

He heard a sob from his side and looked up to see Lorelai standing there. To hell with manners he thought as he threw Carrie off of him and yelled to his girlfriend.

Unfortunately, he was talking to the air because Lorelai had run off. His stomach had jumped into this throat and he felt like he might vomit, but somehow, he was able to follow her around the side of the house. Before he made it to the kitchen door, he was met by a very angry Emma.

"No, Luke. Don't follow her."

"Get out of the way, Emma," he growled. His tone had Emma stepping out of his way with a look of shock on her face. He didn't have time to think about how he had never raised his voice to her, he was too focused on getting to Lorelai and explaining what happened.

The back door slammed, letting Luke know Lorelai had gone into the kitchen. He quickly followed her into the house. When his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw her with her arms braced on the counter.

"Lorelai, it isn't what it looked like. She caught me by surprise. I didn't kiss her back, I swear," he pleaded.

Lorelai rounded on him. "Did I imagine this afternoon that you said you loved me?"

"No, please let me…."

"And did I not say it back?" she asked.

"You did, but please, Lore…."

"This is why I didn't want to do this. I told you that I couldn't just be another one of your girls."

Luke reached out and gently grabbed her shoulders.

"Lorelai, listen to me. I want nothing to do with her. Carrie is insane. We call her 'Crazy Carrie.' She came on to me and the only reason I didn't react right away is because I was still caught in the bubble of peace from having you in my arms. I did not kiss her, and I DO love you. I want you, not anyone else, and especially not her," he pleaded. "You're my world now. You, Rory, you're it for me. I don't want Carrie. I want you."

Lorelai allowed herself to be pulled into his arms. "I wouldn't blame you if you did want someone else," she said through her tears. "I know it's been impossible to find alone time, let alone enough time to sleep together. You must be getting tired of that. I wouldn't blame you if you went off to find it somewhere else."

Luke wiped the tears from her eyes. "Sweet girl, I want you more than you know. I think this afternoon in my room showed you just how much I want you. But more than that, I'm not going to just fuck you, or anyone else, to satisfy a need. You're worth so much more than that. You're worth flowers and candles and romance. I'm not going to mess that up. "

She looked up at him and he could see the insecurity in her eyes.

"You don't want Carrie?" she asked.

Luke pulled back slightly. "God no," he said. "The only woman I want is right here in my arms. Really, Carrie is crazy. I kissed her once in high school in a drunken moment and she's been after me since. I want you and only you."

Lorelai looked down, refusing to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry I freaked out. Rory's dad, we'll let's say that he wasn't the most faithful guy. It's just…..I don't want Rory around that. I don't want to be…."

Luke cupped her face. "I would never do that to you. You don't deserve that. I'm a lot of things, but I've never been a cheater."

He kissed her sweetly and then pulled away just to hug her.

"Do you want to go back to the party? I'll kick everyone out and we can just go up to bed," he offered.

She got a wicked gleam in her eye. "No, I think I'll let Crazy Carrie know just that you're my man and she needs to back off."

Luke laughed as she led him out of the house.

* * *

The clock blinked 2am. The last of the fireworks had been set off, the fire had gone out, and Crazy Carrie had sufficiently been put in her place. Under the covers of his queen sized bed, Luke held his girlfriend as her soft breaths evened out. She sighed in her sleep and snuggled closer to him, but Luke was wide awake planning an amazing night for her in his head. There was no doubt to him that Lorelai was the woman he was meant to be with, now he just need make sure that she knew that too.

* * *

A/N: Hi everyone. I know I haven't been putting up author's notes because I'm trying to keep this story short and to the point. I do want you all to know that I appreciate all of the follows, reviews, and alerts. I have the best readers in the world and I sincerely appreciate each of you. :)


	8. Chapter 7

The long July days were excruciating in the Tennessee heat. Just walking outside felt like you were walking into a wall of steam. The only thing good that came from it was that Luke's tan had gotten much darker from being out in the summer sun, as he took advantage of the hours of daylight to get his work done.

It was a particularly warm day. He was plowing the fields closest to the house and he couldn't help but wish he was inside in the cool air conditioning. Luke had taken off his shirt in an attempt to stay cool, but it wasn't working. He took the handkerchief out of his back pocket and wiped the sweat off of his face. Ugh, why was it so damn hot?

Movement from the back porch caught his attention. Her long mahogany hair cascaded down her shoulders. She was dressed in a pencil skirt and white button down blouse, obviously just from work. She kicked off her black high heels and crossed the lawn to the wooden fence separating his yard from the field. He couldn't help but notice the glass of iced tea in her hand and his mouth began to water. He turned off his tractor and jumped out of the cab, happy for the break.

As he approached her, she held the glass out to him.

"Damn, you look hot," she said. "I'd like to pour this iced tea down your body and lick…."

"Lorelai," he grumbled as he felt his cheeks begin to burn. This woman was going to be the death of him.

"Sorry," she said, not looking sorry at all.

He gratefully accepted the glass and took a long pull. He moaned as the sweet liquid slid down his throat relieving the dryness that came with the heat.

"Thank you," he said leaning over to kiss her. She tasted the sweet tea on his lips. "Not that I mind, but what are you doing here?" he asked.

She smiled and shrugged, shading her eyes from the sun to get a better look at him. "I got off work a little early and when I felt how hot it was out here, I thought I'd stop by and surprise you with a drink."

Luke took another pull from the glass. "You have no idea how good this tastes right now," he told her. Motioning to the field he had just abandoned, he said "I'm not quite finished, but I can make you dinner in an hour or so."

"Nah, I have to get home to Rory, but rain check?" she asked.

"Of course."

"Hey, Luke?" Lorelai asked shyly. "The nanny agreed to watch Rory this weekend. I was thinking maybe we could do something?"

His mind started to plan where he could take her and his lips turned into a lazy grin as he imagined the activities they would partake in. "Of course," he said. I'll pick you up on Saturday morning?"

"Perfect," she replied. "Well, I'd better get home. Nice surprise?"

He handed her the now empty glass. "Perfect surprise. Thanks for stopping by." He kissed her softly. "I'm really looking forward to this weekend."

She smiled. "Me too. Call me later?"

"Of course," he agreed watching the sway in her hips as she made her way back to the house.

Yeah, he definitely couldn't wait for the weekend.

* * *

Luke picked Lorelai up at 8:00 sharp with a travel mug of coffee in his hands. He knew she would protest to the early hour if he didn't bring sustenance.

Lorelai took a sip, closed her eyes and moaned. She actually moaned. "This is why I love you," she told him.

"You have coffee here," he remarked.

Lorelai batted her eyelashes at him. "Yes, but it's not as good as yours," she responded.

Rory came bounding up to Luke and wrapped herself around his legs. "Mister Luke! Guess what? Kerry and I are going to go to the movies and then we're going to McDonald's and then we're going to the playground and I'm so excited!" He was constantly amazed at how much energy Rory had at all hours of the day. After making sure that he sufficiently oohed and aahed about Rory's plans, he put her down and grabbed Lorelai's bag while she leaned down to say goodbye to Rory. Rory gave her mother a quick hug then ran off yelling goodbye.

"That was sincere," Lorelai laughed.

Luke grabbed her hand and led her out to the truck.

"So, where are we going?" Lorelai asked.

Luke shook his head. "You'll see when you get there."

He opened her door, and helped her inside.

"Dollywood? Are you taking me to the greatest theme park in the world?"

"No hints," Luke said. Lorelai huffed and pretended to look mad, but was secretly thrilled that he had gone through the trouble to set up the weekend for the two of them.

* * *

It took just over four hours to get to their destination. They wound their way along the overgrown driveway and pulled up in front of a large wooden home. As she got out of the truck, Lorelai noticed the perfectly manicured yard that led down to a dock. There were Adirondack chairs along the water's edge and a boat house that matched the larger house in design.

"Luke, where are we?" Lorelai asked. "Do the owners know we're here? Are we breaking and entering?"

Luke rolled his eyes and grabbed their bags, placing them in front of the garage door. He entered a code into the keypad near the garage and the one of the large doors began to rise. "Come on," he said as he grabbed her hand and led her inside.

Lorelai took in the 2-story wooden room she found herself in. One wall had floor to ceiling windows that looked out on the lake. Trees around the property gave just enough shade so the hot sun didn't make the room too warm. She was too mesmerized by the view to even notice the rest of the décor.

Luke came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her. She turned in his arms and kissed him.

"What is this place?" she asked again when they came up for air.

"Trevor's parents let us use their lake house for the weekend," he explained. "I figured a weekend of relaxing and taking the boat out would be fun. I know you aren't an outdoorsy kind of girl, so I thought that staying in luxury while we do outdoorsy kinds of things might be a good compromise."

"Luke, this house is gorgeous," she said. "And I'm more than ok with going out on the boat with you as long as I don't have to go fishing. I might be a southern girl, but ick."

Luke laughed and kissed the tip of her nose. "No fishing, I promise."

They spent the afternoon in the pontoon on the lake. Lorelai laid out in a very tiny black bikini, and Luke showed his appreciation for her attire by touching and kissing her every chance he got. She playfully threatened to jump in the water just to get away from his roaming hands, but he ended up just following her and kissing her deeply as they bobbed above the surface. They both loved the feeling of being affectionate without needing to censor themselves for Rory or their friends.

Luke led them back to land in time to shower and prepare dinner which would be eaten overlooking the sun setting on the lake. He had prepared Lorelai's favorite foods and they took their time talking and eating, enjoying the feeling of just being together without any time restrictions.

* * *

He speared a green bean and held his fork out to her. She closed her mouth around the fork and moaned as the butter and salt exploded on her tongue.

"You know, when I was little, I wouldn't eat green beans anywhere but at Christopher's house. My parents tried to make me eat them time and time again, but I refused. Turns out the Hayden's, that's Christopher's family, their cook used butter, but ours didn't because my mother refused to allow me to grow up overweight. Needless to say, I always add butter to the green beans at my own house."

Luke smiled at her story. "Will you tell me about them? Your parents and Christopher?"

"Ugh, what do you want to know?" she asked.

"Everything? Whatever you're willing to tell me," he responded.

Lorelai sat back and put her napkin on the table. "I know I haven't told you much about my past. I guess I just try not to think too hard about it."

He listened intensely as she began her tale. "My parents are Savannah society. Born into it, never questioned the rigorous constraints that forced them to look and act a certain way. Then I came along and bucked every one of their rules. 'A woman must speak only when spoken to?' I was going to speak my mind whether people asked for it or not. 'A lady is gentile and soft spoken at all times.' I was going to wear converse with my cotillion dress and laugh as loudly as I want. 'A woman's place is in the home, and the only reason for her to get an education is to find a husband.' I wanted to actually do something with my life rather than rely on a man to take care of me.

So I guess my rebellion came out at a young age. My parents, lord knows they tried to tame me but I would have none of it. Christopher was a suitable boy from a suitable family and we were thrust together at a young age. He was my best friend, and because we were supposed to, we began dating. Not courting as my parents would have wanted to believe. Rather than hand holding and sweet tea on the porch after dinner, we would go mudding and make out behind the bleachers at the football game. It wasn't until I was already four months pregnant that I realized I wasn't the only girl he was mudding with."

Luke grabbed her hand and urged her to continue.

"Christopher's parents wanted me to have an abortion, but my parents, the good conservatives that they were, had decided that wasn't an option. They wanted us to get married, live with them, and Chris would eventually go work for my father's company. Chris and I were sitting there listening to our parents plan our future, mind you at this time, we weren't even speaking to one another, and I couldn't take it. I knew he wouldn't stand up for what I wanted, specifically, not to be anywhere near him, so I spoke up and told them that I would have the baby and raise it under my parent's roof. Chris would provide monetary support when he could. I would finish high school and with the help of a nanny for Rory, go to college. I would finish my education and stand on my own two feet, but there was no way I was going to tie myself to a man who didn't want me or my daughter.

"Reluctantly, all parties agreed, so I had Rory and when she was 18 months old, we moved to Nashville so I could study business at Vandy. We haven't seen Christopher for three years. Last I heard, he dropped out of Auburn and moved west, but I can't be sure about that."

"You had to deal with so much when you were young. Shows the strength of your character," Luke said.

Lorelai shrugged. "I got Rory out of it and got to break from my parent's rule, so really I got the best of all worlds."

She looked contemplative for a moment before looking him right in the eye. "I'm not sure how to bring this up, so I guess I'll just say it. My parents are having an anniversary party next weekend in Savannah and Rory and I are expected to attend. The whole weekend is going to be full of people I really don't want to associate with, including Christopher's parents, so it will be really uncomfortable for you, but hell, I want you there. Will you go with us?"

Luke thought about it for a minute. Yes, it did not sound like the way he wanted to spend the weekend, but if his girl wanted him there, he would walk to the ends of the earth for her.

"Of course I'll be there," he answered. The light that shone from her eyes was enough of a response to know that he had definitely made the right decision.

Together, they cleaned up dinner and unable to pretend any longer, Lorelai led him to the master bedroom.

Everything about their first evening together was magical: the moonlight reflecting off the lake cast a silver glow over the room, her little gasps as Luke found just the right spot, the feeling of her arms gripping his biceps, and finally, the pleasure that washed over them as they found their release together.

After making love for the second time, Luke held her, his arm secured tightly around her body while she leaned her head on his shoulder. Her hair tickled his chin but the scent of peaches from her shampoo calmed him so he didn't dare move his head.

"Luke, no one else has ever made me feel so secure before," Lorelai said. "For the first time in my life, I feel like I don't have to face life alone."

He kissed the top of her head. "You don't," he said. "I will always be here for you and Rory. You both are my life now."

With a smile, she reached up and kissed him. As the moon dipped lower on the horizon, they found each other again, connecting on a plane that was much more than just physical.

* * *

A leisurely brunch on the lawn brought an end to their weekend together. Knowing that the trip was going to take several hours, they left in the early afternoon, both feeling more relaxed than they had in years but eager to make it home to the little girl who was waiting for them.

Luke had been invited to dinner, so when they made it back to Nashville, he grabbed Lorelai's bag out of the cab of the truck and grabbed her hand. She led him up the walk as he continued his story.

"So then Emma turned to him and said 'Listen asshole. I don't know who you are but he prefers apple pie, so don't you dare insult his intelligence again.'"

Lorelai laughed out loud and put her key in the lock and opened the door.

"No way, she didn't say that," Lorelai said.

"She did! And the sad part is that for the next year and a half, he always had an apple pie on hand when we stopped by."

Lorelai laughed again, pushing the door wide open. Luke ushered her in the door when a figure came storming around the corner.

"Lorelai? What the hell?"

Lorelai took a step back into Luke. He grabbed her around the waist before she tripped.

"Christopher? What are you doing here?" she asked, a small tremble in her voice.

"Obviously providing better care for our daughter than you are," Christopher bit back.

"What are you talking about?" she bit back at him.

"She's sick. And where the hell were you? Off with your boyfriend?"

Luke watched as concern and then panic clouded Lorelai's features that had been so carefree just seconds ago. "Where is she?" she demanded pushing past her ex.

"In her room. I've been taking care of her," he told her. Lorelai ran up the stairs, not looking back at either man.

Luke remained silent near the door.

"So I guess you're the new guy?" Christopher asked.

"Luke," he said extending his hand. Christopher looked at it with disdain. After a moment, Luke lowered his arm.

"I wouldn't bother with her," Christopher told him. "Lorelai and I belong together. Everyone knows it. I know it, her parents know it."

"Doesn't seem like Lorelai knows it," Luke retorted.

Both men looked up at the stairs when Lorelai made her descent. "She's running a _tiny_ fever," Lorelai informed both men. "God damn it, Chris. You made it sound like she was dying."

"She threw up last night," he said.

"Come on," Lorelai told them both. "I need coffee and to find out what the hell is going on." Chris immediately turned and headed into the kitchen. Lorelai turned when she realized Luke wasn't following her. She turned around and gave him a quizzical look.

"Maybe, I should go," he said quietly, hovering by the door.

"Why?" Lorelai asked. "I thought we were going to do pizza for dinner."

"Well, that was before…." Luke shrugged.

She put her arms around his neck. "Before Chris?" she confirmed. "Luke, he's the intruder here, not you."

She kissed his lips sweetly. "Come on," she urged. "I really need coffee."

Lorelai took his hands and dragged him behind her as she walked into the kitchen. He followed her because, well, he would follow her anywhere.

Christopher was already getting out two mugs when they entered the kitchen.

"You're going to need one more," she told him.

Christopher barely masked his look of disdain as Lorelai and Luke sat at the kitchen table. Chris walked over and set a mug down in front of Lorelai and the other in front of his own seat. After he settled in, he nonchalantly said "Oh, sorry Luke, must have forgotten yours."

Lorelai rose to grab Luke's mug but he stopped her when she got half way up by placing his hand over hers. "I've got it," he told her.

As he reached the coffee pot, Lorelai started her interrogation.

"I have so many questions," she said, "I almost don't know where to start. But first, why the hell are you here?"

Luke returned with his coffee and sat down.

"I don't know," Chris shrugged. "It's been while since we've seen you both. I wanted to hang out with my daughter."

"And you couldn't call first?" Lorelai asked.

"I came here to hang out with you and my kid. I got here to find out that you left her overnight in the care of a 20-year old nanny. Then you come in here tonight with him? What the hell am I supposed to think?"

"Don't," Lorelai spoke forcefully. "You have no right Chris. This is the first time in five years that I have left her overnight. As a 22-year old woman, I absolutely have the right to leave her in the care of someone with whom she and I are both comfortable. Where did Kerry go, anyway?"

"I insisted she go home last night when it was obvious you weren't coming back," he said with a shrug.

"Chris, you had no right…"

"I had every right, I'm her father," he defended.

"And I have full custody, or do you need me to get out the paperwork to remind you?" she asked.

"What the hell is he even still doing here?" Chris asked, gesturing to Luke. "He's not a part of this family."

"He's been more present in the last six months than you have," Lorelai shot back.

The sound of tiny footsteps on the stairs caused their bickering to cease. Rory came around the corner rubbing her eyes. She lit up as soon as she saw Luke.

"Luke, you came to play with me!" she said excitedly while crawling into his lap.

"Yeah, your mom thought we could do pizza for dinner. What do you think?" he asked. He tried to ignore the look of shock that came across Christopher's face, instead, focusing on the tiny girl in his lap.

"Oh!" she said jumping up excitedly and grabbing something off of the coffee table. Bringing it back to the adults, she settled in Luke's lap again. "Look, I made a drawing."

He looked down at the picture with three large stick figures and one smaller stick figure. "See, that's you and mommy," she said pointing to the two figures holding hands. "That's dad and me!" pointing to the other large stick figure and the little figure.

"This is a great picture," Luke said. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," she said yawning and leaning her head back against his shoulder. "I'm bored. Daddy made me stay in bed all day."

Luke didn't miss the questioning glare Lorelai gave Chris. Luke watched in amusement as Christopher's bravado seemed to shrink under her glare.

"What? People need to sleep when they're sick," he defended.

Lorelai ignored his comment. "Sweets, do you want Luke to take you in and get you settled on the couch so you can watch Sofia?"

"Yes! Come on Luke. Sofia is my favorite," the little girl said, already dragging him out of the room.

He reluctantly followed her out of the room, not wanting to leave Lorelai along with Christopher. His gaze implored his girlfriend but she smiled, trying to reassure him.

Rory directed him on how to set her up. He helped her get settled on the couch and wrapped the blanket around her little body. Next he set to work on the TV and turned it to the channel she told him.

"Luke, can you get me some purple juice?" she asked. "It always makes me feel better."

Rubbing his hands over her hair to smooth it out of her face, he quickly agreed and headed back into the kitchen.

When he entered, he saw Lorelai and Chris almost nose to nose in a heated, yet quiet discussion.

"I have rights, Lore."

"No, Christopher. You don't. You don't get to tell me how to live my life."

Luke cleared his throat and Lorelai backed up a step. "Um, she wanted the purple juice?" he asked.

"Grape Pedialyte," Lorelai instructed. "It's in the fridge."

Luke grabbed her drink and a straw and took it into her. "Thanks, Luke," she said with a smile. He leaned over and kissed her on the head. Unfazed, Rory just continued watching her show.

When he got back into the kitchen, Lorelai and Chris were still arguing.

"You can't possibly know that," Lorelai said.

"I know men and I would bet you a million bucks his intentions aren't as honorable as you want me to believe," Chris said.

Luke cleared his throat again to alert them of his presence. "I think I'm just going to go, Lorelai," he told her.

"I think that's a good idea," Chris said.

"No," Lorelai said, grabbing his hand.

"It's ok. It seems like you both have a lot to talk about with this and your daughter."

"Yes, _my_ daughter, asshole," Christopher said. "She will never be yours because she is mine."

"Yes, she is your daughter," Luke agreed. "But Lorelai is not yours, so anything having to do with our relationship is none of your business."

"If my daughter is around it, yes, it is my business."

"Christopher, stop," Lorelai demanded. "Luke has been nothing but great with both me and Rory and I won't let you sit in my house and be an asshole to him. Yes, he and I were out last night, but that was my decision and I did everything to leave Rory in good hands. I couldn't have known she was going to get sick. You show up after not seeing her for three years and get upset because I left my daughter in the very capable hands of her nanny? You will not let me feel bad about this, Christopher. I will never prevent you from seeing your daughter, but coming here and judging our lives is completely unacceptable and I won't allow it in my house. You are welcome to leave any time."

Christopher grabbed his jacket from the kitchen chair and left them in the kitchen to say goodbye to Rory. On his way out, he turned back to Lorelai. "Are you at least coming to your parent's anniversary party?" he asked.

"Yes, we'll be there. All three of us," she responded.

With a final glare at Luke, Christopher slammed the door behind him.

Luke pulled Lorelai into his arms and brushed the tears from her cheeks. "He just, he doesn't get it!" she said.

They jumped apart when Rory asked "Mommy? Where did daddy go?"

Lorelai leaned down to her. "Daddy had to go sweets. He wanted me to tell you goodbye for him."

Luke was mad when he realized that Christopher hadn't even said goodbye to his daughter but he almost saw red when Rory started crying.

"He said he would say goodbye this time," Rory cried. "He said we could go to the playground."

Lorelai picked up her daughter. "I know, sweetie, but he had to go. Luke and I are still here and we're going to order pizza and have a movie night, what do you think?"

Rory sniffled in her mom's neck. "Luke won't leave without saying goodbye, right?"

Luke put his hand on her back. "Not for the world baby girl. Not for the world."

* * *

A/N: So a lot of people have mentioned that the Lorelai in this story isn't like the Lorelai from the show. I'm sorry to disappoint. I guess it was harder to write the character from the show in a different place, time, and life situation. If I've lost readers, I understand, but I hope you can look past it to finish the story with me.

Additionally, I will finish this story, I promise. I'm updating as I go along, so there might be a little bit of time between chapters, but it will be finished.

Finally, I don't hate Christopher, not at all. I was just trying to think about him as a younger guy than he is in the show. They mentioned that he wasn't around almost at all when Rory was little, and based on his behavior when he was older, I figured he would handle Luke about as well as he did in the show. Same with Luke. He's 24 years old and has been thrown into very adult responsibilities from the time he graduated from high school, but he's still a 24-year-old guy.

So with all of this said, thank you for sticking with me and I hope you enjoyed the latest installment!


	9. Chapter 8

The sights and sounds were unfamiliar to him, and he wondered if that's what made him nervous or if it was the fact that a 140,000 pound steel tube was carrying him 35,000 feet above the earth. Every little bump he felt like it was a freight train. His girlfriend's five-year-old was happily ignoring the very things that were making his stomach flip, but then again, she had already been on countless flights whereas Luke had only been on two before in his life.

He didn't realize he was gripping the arm of his seat so tightly until Lorelai moved his hand onto her lap and he felt the ache of having gripped an inanimate object as tight as he could.

"Why are you so nervous?" she asked.

"It's just not natural," he grumped. "Steel should not be in the air."

Lorelai shrugged and went back to flipping through her magazine.

"Did you see that the Cardinals were thinking of bringing Jim Clooney up from the Red Birds?" she asked without looking up.

Luke knew that Lorelai not only didn't know about baseball, but she didn't care about baseball. "Do you mean Tim Cooney?" he replied.

She shrugged. "Maybe."

Luke freed his hand from hers and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Thank you for reading the sports page so that you could distract me."

The gleam in her eyes meant that he had guessed her motive correctly. "No problem."

* * *

From that point, Luke relaxed just a little bit, but was still visibly relieved when the captain announced their final descent into Savannah.

A town car picked them up, and Luke was only moderately embarrassed when he introduced himself to the driver.

After a 30 minute drive, it pulled up in front of a large antebellum style home. Six large columns graced the front of the home, holding up a large second story deck that wrapped around the entire house.

"This is a house?" Luke asked as they walked up the front steps. Before Lorelai could answer with a smart quip, the front door flew open and Emily ushered them indoors.

"Lorelai, Rory, I'm so glad you could make it!" she gushed.

"Mom, you remember Luke," Lorelai reintroduced the two.

"Oh, yes. How do you do?" Emily asked coldly.

Before Luke had a chance to respond, Emily had ushered the girls into the house. He grabbed the bags from where the chaufer had set them and made his way through the door. He looked around at the brightly lit foyer as Richard descended the stairs.

"Hello, Luke," Richard said jovially. "If you're here that must mean the girls are here too."

"Yes, Mr. Gilmore," Luke answered. "Mrs. Gilmore ushered them into the house already. I'm not really sure where I should put the luggage."

"Just leave them there, the maid will get them."

Luke set his bag, Lorelai's bag and Rory's bag off to the side of the foyer and allowed Richard to lead him further into the house.

The house was stunning, if not stuffy. He was afraid to touch anything in case it would leave a mark. When they approached the living room, he sat next to Lorelai and she put her hand in his. Gestures like that and a lot of booze were the only ways he anticipated he would make it through the next few days.

* * *

Later that evening, Luke was in a tie, Lorelai was wearing a black cocktail dress that almost made him salivate and Rory was impressing all of the guests with her recitation of the state capitals. He was bored, but for Lorelai's sake, he put on a happy face. The worst part was that Emily had insisted they sleep in separate rooms, so he didn't even have that to look forward to.

His mood soured greatly when he saw Christopher walk in. Richard and Emily flocked to him like moths to a flame. It didn't take Christopher long to find Lorelai with his eyes, and from the conspiratorial wink Emily gave him, Luke knew the evening wouldn't end well.

"Don't worry about him," Lorelai said. "I'm here with you and that's all that matters."

* * *

Two hours later, Luke was still trying to figure out what DAR stood for. He had never felt more out of place in his life and with Emily constantly pulling Lorelai off to meet her friends, there wasn't much he could do but sit quietly in the corner. He stood, trying to straighten his now wrinkled pants, but realized it was a hopeless cause. Deciding he wanted another drink from the bar, he made his way to one of the three that had been set up. As he stood there waiting for his drink to be poured, he looked into the darkened living room and saw Christopher there with his hand cupping Lorelai's cheek.

He instantly forgot his drink. He was in the room in three steps. "Get your hands off of her," he growled.

Christopher dropped his hand and took a step back. Lorelai looked up at him, quickly wiping away some of the tears that were falling from her eyes. He didn't know what questions to ask first.

Luckily, Lorelai jumped right in.

"Luke, it's not what it looks like," she pleaded.

"Please start explaining then," Luke said, more gruffly than anticipated. He couldn't help but notice that she flinched at his tone. It wasn't her voice that started speaking though, it was Christopher's.

"Emily and Richard have both let their displeasure at your relationship be known. They know you aren't good enough for their daughter, and definitely not good enough to be in Rory's life. They want Lorelai and Rory to be taken care of, and you obviously can't do that," Christopher said.

"Chris, stop it," Lorelai choked out.

"I can take care of her," Christopher continued. "I have my trust fund, and I can give Rory everything she's ever wanted. Lorelai would never have to work. She can stay home with our children. We can go to parties and not have people question us. We can be the perfect couple."

Luke felt like he had been slapped in the face. He knew his limitations. He knew the farm was barely profitable enough to support him, let alone a family, but he thought Lorelai wanted to work. He knew he didn't belong at a party like this, but he thought that with Lorelai by his side, he could deal with their disapproval, as long as she chose him.

"Is this true?" he asked her.

"Yes, it is true." This time, the voice came from the doorway. Emily stood there, knowing exactly what she had just walked into. "Luke, I'm sure you are a fantastic match for someone, but not my daughter and you are not the man who can be a stepfather to Rory."

Lorelai was as stunned as he was. She knew that her mother had been trying to set her up with eligible young bachelors all night, but she didn't think that she would go this far. In her shock, she couldn't find her voice.

Luke stood there looking at Lorelai for any sign that she disagreed with Christopher and Emily, but her hung head and lack of response told him everything he needed to know. He did the only thing he could think to do, leave quickly. He went upstairs to the guest room and started throwing his things back in his suitcase.

As he was grabbing his toiletries from the en suite bathroom, Lorelai came in the door.

"Luke, what are you doing? Please don't go. Let's talk about this," she pleaded.

Luke stopped and looked at her. "Do you agree with them?" he asked.

Lorelai looked down before answering. "No, I don't. I know it will be hard for us as a couple…."

"Hard?" Luke cut her off. "Being with you is so easy it's like breathing! I thought you felt the same way. You said that it was easy. You said you loved me. Twelve hours here and you've changed your mind." He resumed throwing things into his bag.

"Luke, please. Let's talk this through."

Luke looked at her. "Is being with me hard? Is it work for you?" he asked.

"Sometimes," she said quietly.

"Then I quit," he said as he took his bag and walked downstairs. Christopher was waiting in the foyer.

"She's all yours," he said to his rival as he walked through the front door. One last look back showed Lorelai standing at the top of the stairs with tears streaming down her cheeks. He tried to ignore the way his heart ached as he shut the door behind him.

* * *

It took seven hours for him to drive a rented car from Savannah to Nashville and he never wanted to see that skyline more than he did that night. His thoughts shifted from Rory to Lorelai the entire way home, as he tried to understand how this had become such a mess. He went from being mad at Lorelai to already missing the future he had imagined with her. As soon as he pulled up to his house, he got out a box and placed everything she had kept there into it. By the time he was finished, the back of his truck was filled with Rory's princess bed and sheets, Lorelai's shampoo, the iced tea pitcher she had bought him, and dozens of other small things that reminded him of her. He drove the box to her house and left everything on her front stoop.

The sun was just coming up as he pulled back into his driveway. Dejected and bone tired, he passed out on top of the covers in his bed, not even bothering to take off his shoes.

* * *

A/N: Hi! Did you miss me? I'm so sorry this took so long to update. Real life (aka quitting my job, moving 800 miles away, deciding to change my career, applying to grad schools, breaking up with a boyfriend) just got in the way. This chapter was also very difficult for me to write. I wanted something different than the Gilmore's wedding, but not too different. Hope I managed to make that come to life.

Who else can't wait for the Netflix revival?

Thanks for sticking with me during my long hiatus. This story has two chapters and an epilogue left, and I still promise it will be finished.


	10. Chapter 9

The next day, he drank to forget her. The night ended with Trevor carrying him upstairs so that he didn't pass out on the stairs. He woke up with a splitting headache and a mouth that seemed to be full of cotton, but he pushed himself on the farm, enjoying the fact that he didn't have to talk to anyone and he could work his mind numb. That night, he ended up at one of their crew's favorite bars, but he left when Emma walked in. He wasn't in the mood to explain anything to her or have her try to talk himself out of his decision; he was having trouble being resolute by himself. He made sure Emma saw him lead a blonde out of the bar before he took off for home, alone. After that night, he began to drink at home so he wouldn't to face anyone else.

Every night when he closed his eyes, he had the same dream; Rory was playing nearby but he couldn't see her, he could only hear her. Lorelai was in his arms, until she suddenly wasn't. When he looked around, everything was black and he was completely by himself. The first time it happened, he woke up and vomited. Now, he just woke up with a start and tossed and turned until the sun began to rise through his bedroom window. It seemed like no matter how fast he ran, he just couldn't escape her memory.

* * *

The heat was almost suffocating as he lifted the hem of his t-shirt to wipe the sweat from his face. He leaned against the heavy wooden doors and noticed menacing looking clouds in the distance. It was still sunny on his farm, but he knew the storm would soon be here and he still had a couple dozen hay bales to move into the barn.

Storm or not, he didn't want to stop working. The ache in his muscles helped him forget the ache in his heart. He had always felt most useful working with his hands and now it was the only thing that was keeping him from going crazy. Or maybe he had already slipped over that precipice, he wasn't quite sure.

He'd always envisioned bringing a wife home, and eventually a baby. They would sit on the porch drinking sweet tea and watching their kids chase lighting bugs. That wife never had a face until he met her, and he knew there would never be anyone else for him like her. He wanted her to be on that porch, he wanted Rory to be chasing lightning bugs like she had on the 4th of July. God, he wanted Rory to be his kid with every fiber of his being. He wanted to see Lorelai's belly swollen with his child, and another trying to chase the bugs with Rory. But dammit, these were the thoughts he needed to get rid of. He would never have her, especially in that way. Her family had made that crystal clear and she wasn't willing to fight for him. He hooked another bale, and then another, until his shoulders burned and the air couldn't get into his lungs fast enough. He paused to catch his breath and her hair flashed in his eyes, laid out on his pillow. He growled as he grabbed another bale and threw it on the truck.

The sun was eclipsed by dark clouds and the he felt the deep rumble of thunder in his chest. It looked like the storm would reach his barn in no more than five minutes and he was going to be cutting it close. A lightning flash drew his attention towards the horizon, just in time to see the Jeep Wrangler make its way down the gravel drive, leaving a trail of dust in its wake.

What the hell was she doing here? He walked around to the front of his old Chevy truck as she reached the edge of his field. She got out of the Jeep, eyes blazing with lightning that matched that of the storm brewing.

"Why would you do this? I trusted you!" she yelled, vitriol spewing from every pore in her body.

With a crack of thunder, the skies opened up and it began to pour.

He struggled with whether to gather her in his arms or fire back at her. His mind flashed to them standing in her parent's guest room, utterly defeated, not fighting for him.

"You trusted me?" Luke asked. "Of course you did! I trusted you too! I trusted that we were on the same page here. Christ Lorelai! We discussed it at every turn. We discussed being together, how I would fit with you and Rory. We discussed how we would be physical. We talked about every damn thing and as soon as we get to Savannah, as soon as they start saying otherwise, suddenly I'm too much work for you."

"I never said you were too much work, Luke. Do not put words into my mouth."

Another crack of thunder brought them both to the present and without a word, he ushered her into the barn for shelter. They might not be seeing eye to eye on certain issues right now, but by no means did he want her to die in a thunderstorm.

They were barely in the door before Lorelai began again. This time he could see that the water streaming down her face was from tears, not the rain. "You didn't give me a chance, Luke. You didn't let me explain what I meant or assure you that I had nothing to do with that horrible set-up that happened." She grasped his hands and forced him to look at her. "I love you Luke, and when I said it was work with you, it's only because of them. It didn't come out right, but that's all I meant. Because every phone call I have to remind them that I'm not moving back to Savannah, and every time my mother flies into town, she tries to set me up with one of her friend's sons. You and me? We're easy. My life makes sense with you. You me and everyone else? That's the hard part. And I'm stuck in the middle and I will be for as long as we're together. But I'm willing to do that if I have you on my side."

Luke sighed. "I just don't understand how you caved so easily. And then Christopher was there with his hands on you. If you're so sure about us, how could you let that happen?"

"I didn't see it coming," she pleaded. "I've never brought a boyfriend home that wasn't Christopher. I thought, I don't know what I thought but I was totally blindsided, just like you were."

"You shouldn't have been," Luke said, defeated. This was always going to be an issue with them. "Christopher was in your house a week before, telling you that he wanted you. Your parents, they couldn't get past my truck and my job before they judged me and found me lacking. And you! You should have fought for me!"

"How could I do that when you left? You left me so fast, you left my kid, Luke. You promised her you would never leave her without saying goodbye. She doesn't get it, she doesn't understand why you didn't fly back with us, or why we haven't seen you. She drew you a fucking picture in school today because she missed you and thought you were sick. I let you into our lives and you broke your promise to her. How do I explain that to her?"

With a heavy thump, Luke sat down on a bench. He had promised Rory he would never leave without saying goodbye.

Lorelai took advantage of his silence to continue.

"There's no contest, Luke. I told my parents they couldn't see Rory unless they supported the decisions I've made, namely Nashville and you. Christopher got the message when Rory wouldn't go to him and only wanted you. He and I had a long talk and he accepts it. There was always a possibility for us, but he knows there isn't anymore."

"But they're always….." Luke began. Lorelai sat next to him.

"Luke, they are 500 miles away. If they don't abide by my wishes, our wishes, then they're out. If I have you and Rory, I have all I need."

Luke hung his head and he knew he could no longer ignore the real reason behind his insecurity. "What do I have to offer you?" he asked dejectedly. "They can give you everything. Christopher can give you a big house and a lifestyle that you're worthy of. Me? I didn't go to college. I've lived on this farm for my whole life. I don't have any family and I work my ass off just to make ends meet. If you marry me, I can't give you any more than this, Lorelai. You say it's ok for now, but I know what's going to happen in 10 or 15 years, and it's not you staying on a farm in Tennessee."

The next thing he knew, he was flying off the bench and landing on the ground with a thud.

"You self-righteous ass," she exclaimed and she stood and began pacing around the barn. "Have I ever once made you feel inferior to me? Have I ever said or done anything that would make someone think I'm afraid of hard work, or worse, that I expect a life of luxury? No, not only because I've been insanely careful to make sure that you never felt that way, but also because I don't and never have thought that way. You need to stop looking at my past and what I have and look at who I am, otherwise, you're right. This will never work."

With her parting words, she stormed out of the barn. He heard her car start and pull away as he picked himself off of the ground. The rain had slowed to a trickle and he slowly walked to his house, suddenly very very tired.


	11. Chapter 10

He didn't know what to do. He was mad as hell still, but not at Lorelai. He was mad at everyone else. He was mad at Emma for introducing them. He was mad at Christopher for having the arrogance and means to just take what he wanted. He was mad at her parents for not liking him enough to see that they were good together. Mostly, he was mad at himself for breaking his promises to her and for hurting both of them.

He wanted her back, but he didn't know how to go about it. What could he possibly do or say now that could make up for what had transpired? He went to his refrigerator to reach for the bourbon he had stashed in his freezer and it came to him. It came to him in the form of a handwritten invitation by a little girl he was most concerned about hurting. Having been delivered almost a full month ago, he had almost forgotten, but luckily the reminder was there like a beacon guiding his way in the fog. In childish scribble, the note read "Dear Luke, Please come to my dance recital Saturday August 15th at 1:00pm. I'm dancing in two dances! I'd really like for you to be there. Your friend, Rory."

He picked some of his mother's prized flowers from the garden; some sunflowers, a few lilies, and put them into a makeshift bouquet. He found an old forgotten box in the back of his sock drawer and put it in his pocket. Donning his Sunday best, he drove to the auditorium where Rory's recital was being held. As he was parking, he saw them. He took a minute to observe the pair. Rory was dressed in pink tights and a black leotard. Her hair was back in a severe bun and she was arguing with Lorelai over something. Lorelai, dressed in a skirt and heels, bent down to tie Rory's shoe. She gave her a peck on the cheek and then waved her on. Without looking back, Rory ran off. Lorelai stood and straightened her clothes. She was stressed. The worry lines on her face gave her the appearance of someone five years older than she really was. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then squared her shoulders and walked into the auditorium.

It took him a few minutes to muster up the courage to follow her. By the time he walked in, the recital had already begun and he was forced to sit in the back row. There were a lot of dances, some older kids, some younger. All were twirling to some instrumental music and all looked too serious for their own good. He had almost dozed off, but then it was Rory's turn. She walked on stage and took her position. As soon as the music began, she almost fell. She was terrible. She turned the wrong way, never jumped in sync with the other girls, and she was always a beat too slow to keep with the music, but to Luke, she was the most beautiful thing that had ever worn dancing tights. He felt pride swell up inside of him. Even though she was terrible, she was trying and he couldn't be more proud of her.

After Rory had danced he found them in the crowd.

"You were amazing!" Lorelai gushed.

"Ms. Patty said that I was the one who tried the hardest, but I really think she was just saying that because I wasn't very good," Rory said.

Luke chose this time to make his presence known. "I've never seen a better dancer in my whole life," he said.

Rory's eyes lit up, and she jumped into his arms. "Luke! You came! I knew you would. Mommy told me not to get my hopes up but I knew you would be here. I've missed you, where have you been?" Rory said, seemingly in one breath.

He held Lorelai's eyes as he spoke. "I've been a little lost, but I'm here now," he answered.

"These are for the star of the show," he said, presenting Rory with the bouquet. Rory gushed over the large sunflowers and declared them to be her favorite flower. Her excitement was infectious.

"We're going to have pizza and ice cream back at the house," Rory told him. "Mommy and I really really want you to come. Well, I do anyway."

Luke looked into the eyes of the woman he loved. She was challenging him with her gaze. Without breaking eye contact, he set Rory down.

"I've been thinking a lot and I have some things to say," he said to Lorelai. "Will you give me some of your time?"

He couldn't tell what she was thinking; she was guarding her emotions tightly. "Rory wants you to come to dinner. We can talk when she goes to bed. We'll meet you back at the house."

* * *

Although there was tension through dinner, Rory's excitement kept it at bay. Lorelai stalled by making her take a bath, and she poured them both a glass of wine in the kitchen while Luke was reading Rory a bedtime story, well, three, as the self-proclaimed "dance princess" had insisted.

When he came downstairs, she silently handed him the glass and he took a large gulp.

"I don't know where to start," he said honestly. "There are so many things I would do over."

Lorelai stayed silent. It was clear she wasn't going to throw him a lifeline, and he knew he didn't deserve one.

"Do you think we could go into the living room?" he asked. She nodded and led the way.

After putting his wine on a side table, he sat with his head in his hands, trying to formulate the proper apology. Finally he looked up and took a breath.

"Christopher is a good match for you. He's rich, he grew up in your social circle, he went to college, and your parents approve of him…" Luke started.

"Luke, I do NOT want to talk about…."

"Let me finish," Luke interrupted. Lorelai settled back into her seat with her arms crossed.

"Christopher is a good match for you, but I'm better. He's been handed everything and he expects your affection. I'm better for you because I know how to work. I'm a damn hard worker. I worked hard for my father and for my sister. I've worked to keep the farm afloat, and I've made it successful. I haven't been handed anything and Lorelai, if you will take me back, I will work every day for the rest of my life to make you and your daughter happy."

Her eyes got misty, but she allowed him to continue. "I screwed up so badly here, that I don't know if it's right for me to ask for a second chance, but I have to. Because being with you is like breathing. And when I'm not with you, I can't catch my breath. I allowed my insecurities to cloud my judgement, but you're it for me. You're my forever. You and Rory."

Luke pulled out the box from his back pocket. "This was my mother's ring. It took my father 15 years on that farm to be able to afford this for her. I don't expect you to say yes now, but I will work every day for the rest of my life to earn the right to put this ring on your finger. I will gain your trust again, and I will marry you."

Lorelai choked out a sob. "Yes," she said, almost so quietly he didn't hear it. "Yes, Luke. I will marry you."

He was across the couch in two steps. He lifted her up and kissed her like a drowning man receiving oxygen. They finally broke apart and he slipped the ring on her finger. It was a perfect fit.

With his arms around her, he whispered into her ear "forever and ever."

* * *

Lorelai awoke to the feeling that someone was watching her. The masculine grip that was spooning her from behind tightened and she snuggled back into his embrace. She opened her eyes to see her daughter standing at the side of the bed with her elbows on the mattress and her chin in her hands. She was staring at the diamond on her mother's hand.

"So, Luke's back?" Rory whispered with a grin.

"That ok with you?" Lorelai whispered back.

"As long as he makes us pancakes every Sunday," Rory answered.

From behind her, Lorelai heard a masculine chuckle. "Sunday and every other day of the week baby girl," Luke said. "But first, I was just having the best dream…"

* * *

A/N: It's been a long time, I know. I'm so sorry for the delay. This chapter was really hard to write...I wanted to do it justice but thought they had really screwed up and wasn't sure how to resolve that. I finally found it...so here you go.

There's still an epilogue left, so I'll work to get that up in the next couple of weeks. Hope you enjoy!


	12. Epilogue

_Five Years Later….._

Luke looked over the field at the sun setting on the horizon. He leaned back in the swing and took a swig from his beer bottle. It was Sunday, the only day he allowed himself to relax like this during the growing season. Some weeks he only made it through by knowing he had these days; the ones where he could sit and unwind with his family.

A groan came from the woman to his right as she typed something furiously into her laptop. He liked sitting back on Sundays, but his wife used the day to get a head start on the next week. He chuckled quietly and turned his focus on the laughter coming from the yard.

Rory was now eleven, and just getting into the early stages of her awkward phase. She was tall and thin, with braces and long, sometimes stringy hair. They both knew she was going to turn into a beautiful young woman, but he did not envy the adolescent stage she was getting into. She was kind, which was sometimes a reason for bullying at school. Both Luke and Lorelai had been called into the office more than once to deal with a classmate saying mean things to her that would make her cry. It broke his heart every time. She was truly the daughter he never had, and he hated to see her hurting. Fortunately, he felt that he and Lorelai had created a safe place at home where she knew she was loved and valued. It warmed his heart to see her come out of her shell when she returned home from school each day. She adored her little brother, Will, and played with him every chance she got. Will equally adored her; in fact, at this moment, will was chasing her around the yard. She was obviously winning their game of tag, until she scooped him up and blew raspberries on his belly making him laugh loudly.

Will was four and a thinker, like his father. He bent down in the grass to examine something and Rory pulled up right behind him and started to explain what they were looking at. The little boy had Luke's light brown hair, but Lorelai's blue eyes. He was conceived on their honeymoon; a little reminder of Puerto Rico each time they looked at him. He truly made their family complete.

Luke felt like he truly couldn't ask for anything more than what he had in his view right now; a woman he loved by his side, a daughter who meant the world to him, and a son who was a reminder of the love they shared. After so many years of being on his own, he finally had his own family; people he loved with which he could walk through life.

Lorelai caught his attention as she closed her laptop. "All done?" he asked as she cuddled up to his side.

"No, but I'm tired of working on it. I'll save it for tomorrow."

He wrapped his arm around her and they watched their kids play in the yard.

"She's so good with him," Lorelai said of Rory.

"She's the best," Luke agreed. "We really lucked out. With both of them, actually."

"That's unfortunate," Lorelai said.

Luke wasn't sure he heard her correctly. "It's unfortunate that we lucked out?" he asked for clarification.

"Yeah," she said.

He waited for her to continue. When she didn't he pushed. "How do you figure?"

"Well, they say that if you have two awesome kids, the third is going to be a nightmare. It's the law of averages really. No one can have three amazing kids. It just doesn't work that way."

When he looked at her, she had a gleam in her eye.

"Are you saying…" he asked hesitantly. They hadn't been trying to conceive, but they also hadn't been trying not to conceive.

"I took the test this morning. It was positive. I wanted to tell you right away, but Will had his meltdown and then Rory got that message on Facebook. With church and Sunday supper and everything, this is the first chance we've really had to talk."

"Another baby," Luke said, trying to wrap his mind around it.

"Are you disappointed?" she asked. "I know we haven't discussed it, but…."

"Disappointed? No way!" he exclaimed. He scooped her up for a big hug. "I can't wait. Another you running around!"

"Well, I hope it's another you. You were a saint. I am the one who got into trouble more," she teased.

He kissed her, knowing that his words would never be able to express how grateful he was to her, for taking him back, for loving him, and for creating this life of theirs. As they pulled apart he sought out her eyes. "We're getting ice cream," he declared.

She laughed and the sound was musical to him. He jumped up from the swing. "Will, Rory! Come on you two. We're going out for ice cream."

As the kids excitedly ran up the steps of the porch, he kissed each on their head. He thought their family was complete with Will, but now he knew that they had so much more love to give.

As the sun threw the last of its rays over the horizon, he took a step back to be in the moment with his family. It didn't matter what storms the future brought, as long as they were by his side, they would always have sunshine. They were his sunshine in the thunder.

* * *

A/N: And that's a wrap! Thanks so much for sticking with this story. I really appreciate all of the kind words and encouragement. I'm so grateful for such amazing readers who make me feel like a million bucks every time I update.

Until next time...


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